As a follow-up to the European Council meeting on 14 and 15 December 2023, EU leaders discuss the mid-term revision of the EU’s long-term budget for 2021-2027, including support to Ukraine. Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, holds a press point during the Special European Council in Brussels. The transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check agaisnt delivery.

Brussels

statement

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

meeting of the European Council

president's agenda

special meeting of the European Council 1 February 2024 (T)

Doorstep by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, at the Special European Council

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Good to see you. So first of all, Ukraine is our top priority. We need an agreement today and it should be at 27. This will impact our legitimacy, our credibility and our predictability, because Ukraine security is Europe's security. We also need to top up badly needed funds that our citizens depend on. On health, on energy, on research. This is where our Parliament and our citizens will look at when they come to vote in June.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, To the farmers that are outside. We see you and we hear you. And if want your voice to be heard make it hard also in June, when you vote for the European Parliament elections. On the Middle East. The European Parliament was the first institution to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, and the return of all hostages. This is the only way to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, and we look forward to having this institution, the European Council today, the leaders coming to a similar conclusion so that we can all speak in one voice on this issue.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President,  On the Ukraine facility we are, co-legislators. European Parliament voted. We wanted to vote as quickly as possible in order for us to send the clearest of messages that we know that Ukraine needs &euro;50 billion for its to continue to fight the war for all of us. And that's why trialogues are going on. Negotiations are going on. We are at the table. All we need is for that to be an agreement today, because Ukraine needed the money yesterday and not tomorrow or the day after. So the decision that should be taken today, and I'm hopeful that we will, as you have heard from all the leaders, is that we can actually give the news that Ukrainians so desperately want today.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Well, we are we are closely following the outcome and the ensuing developments from yesterday's defence ministers meeting. And we will take it from there. I am in close contact with the High Representative. But yes, you are right that the European Parliament, in view of the fact that a number of members have been sanctioned by quite a number of countries, that this was the only decision that we could take, and it was the right one.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The article seven has already been triggered, actually, as was the right of the European Parliament to do with a very convincing vote when that happened. We will see what happens today. There are still questions being asked about the &euro;10 billion that were disbursed before the last European Council. However, our focus today and here I concur with the leaders not excluding any position that the Parliament will take next week in Strasbourg, that today we get an agreement at 27. And this is important not for us, but for Ukraine, but also for all our citizens that would like to see the institutions and all the member States be coherent and consistent on this issue.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President, We need to listen more and we need, as we enter in this campaign period into the European elections, realise I see this in every member state that I visit, that there are sectors that we did not listen to enough. And I think it's our responsibility, one, to say that to encourage everybody to vote in the June European Parliament elections and understand that if there is frustration with our processes or we did not communicate well enough or we did not consult well enough, then we say it. I think we need to be honest with our citizens. Thank you very much.