Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia hold a press point at the European Parliament in Brussels during her official visit. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check gainst delivery.

Brussels

press point

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Latvia (T)

RINKEVICS, Edgars (LV)

president's agenda

Press point by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, and by Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Good morning to you all. First of all, I'm very pleased to welcome the President of Latvia, Gare Silvinkovich, to the European Parliament here in Brussels. Dear Mr. President, our first meeting takes place between two important commemorative dates in Latvian history, the 11th of November Victory Day, when you honor your freedom fighters and upcoming 18th of November celebration of the official proclamation of your country's sovereignty.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, These are two dates. to remember the right of self- determination and independence. And this in fact exactly what I also wanted last year at the Freedom Monument in Riga. It is also timely reminder, as we've just spoken about, at length that we must continue to show our firm support for Ukraine, its fight for freedom and self- determination, and show solidarity with its people. And because this as much about Europe's security as it is about Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The Baltic countries with Latvia at its center know better than anyone that freedom and democracy are worth fighting for and that we can let any fatigue to set in. And you have emerged as Europe's security and defence focal point. Today, we all understand know all too well Latvia's warnings about Russia.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Your country's people have shown unwavering leadership in our support for Ukraine's cause and solidarity with Ukrainian people. And Ukraine will continue to be at the very top of our priority list. Let me assure you and your people that the European Parliament will not waver on this. This also why this House has been a front runner in pushing for Ukraine and Moldova to open membership negotiations, and we welcome very much the Commission's recommendations in this regard.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, A final point, as former Minister for foreign affairs, you are so well aware of the geopolitical challenges facing our Union, the reignited conflict in the Middle East darkens further clouds and risks important revivifications on our societies and in these difficult times we must work with purpose and with unity for a stronger Union. I know we can count on Latvia and you can count on the European Parliament. Dear President, the floor is yours.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, Thank you, Madam President. I'm really And delighted to be here in the European Parliament and to meet you. First of all, I just want to express the gratitude to you personally and to the European Parliament for a very strong support to Ukraine, to condemn the Russian aggression and also to work with EU member states, with the Council to make all the sanctions regime, all the support for Ukraine also very efficient and viable.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, We discussed, as the President said, the current situation in Ukraine. I reiterated Latvia's stance that we must start accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. next year and we do hope that the European Council in December will make the decision based on the recommendation of the European Commission.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, We also discussed the need for the European Union to be stronger when it comes also to defence and foreign policy. I think it is very important that the European Union also works to build up more defence capability to address defence industrial capabilities issues that we need to do in view of the current geopolitical challenges we all face.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, And also, I want to say that from our perspective, we do believe that we need to look into the situation when it comes to Ukraine, when it comes to Moldova, when it comes to the accession process as long- term gain for both EU and also for the eastern part of Europe. But having said that, we also should not forget about the western Balkans, about the need also to address long- standing issues there.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, We need also to have tangible progress when it comes to the enlargement policy in the Western Balkans, because both at this point are the issues of the credibility for the European Union. And indeed, as the President said, we also discussed issues related to current development of situation in the Middle East.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, I think that here I can absolutely echo what the President of the Parliament just said, the European Union needs to have more active, more credible voice and role in the region and also internationally. We can play more active role if we can get more united position within the European Union and that is something that is badly needed. Thank you.

Q&A, Question on EU support to Ukraine in view of the elections.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, The is no doubt that the European election that will take place between 6-9 of June next year will be a very geopolitical campaign, one that by then, would have been the outcome of a legislature overshadowed by two wars, one that went through a devastating pandemic with a very, very difficult economic recovery.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, So, we're looking at campaign, one which very much I would look forward to discussing also with Latvian voters. I visit during the campaign that looks at actually what we've managed to do beyond all expectations. The sanctions packages were mentioned by the President if someone had asked me on the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine whether we would have managed to go so far in unanimously, with unanimity adopt so many packages, I would not have believed it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Today we find ourselves in a situation where we could be, in a position where we allow Putin to exploit that fatigue but we won't let him. And it is that message, that intention, and that feeling that we look to build as we come back in the next European Parliament, in order to once again deliver on very ambitious legislative targets, whether from a digital point of view, whether from a climate point of view, but also from a migration aspect.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, These are big challenges that will require the centre of the House to come together, that pro- European as we like to call it, constructive spirit. And it's one that we will work for and one that I think we will manage to come back with. If we have campaign that answers challenges, answers questions and debates properly.

Q&A, Question regarding on Putin's calculations on the war in Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, No, if you look at the fact that we are about to open, hopefully, after decision of the European Council membership negotiations with Ukraine, I think the answer is the complete opposite. This the clearest sign yet of Europe's long- term support for Ukraine. We are the largest contributors. We have shown from very the first day that we will not leave Ukraine alone and that message is as strong as ever, because it is exactly what Putin would like to exploit if we give in any way different message. And that's not the case.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, Yes and no. In a sense that yes, because look, I think that this exactly what Russia and its leader, Mr Putin, wants us to behave. He really believes that in democracies, the political commitment is weak because we tend to have elections, we tend to have lot of discussions, there are always policy debates, there are always discussions about the best way forward. There are also priorities ranging from the geopolitical issues to the health and social issues. think that his calculation is simply that in dictatorships manage worse is actually easier than in democracies.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, No, because he is wrong and what the history has shown that actually even with some kind of debate, even with of uneasy some kind decision- making process, democracies are much resilient that we sometimes tend to think simply based on that or another kind of discussion of the day or disagreement of the day.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, But, I want very much to agree with President Mansoor on one thing. I think that frankly we surprised ourselves. We surprised Mr. Putin, we surprised the world and also Ukrainians on how actually united and efficient we have been. What is currently very important is how we are going to translate all that political goodwill into the practical long- term support program, because where some analysts, some experts were wrong when the war started. They were wrong about the duration of military activities, many of them said that it wouldn't take more than one month.

SOUNDBITE (English), Edgars RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, And now we all understand that we need to get this kind of policy, the strategy, not only here in the European Union, but also in a broader sense in the NATO, in coalition of those countries that are supporting Ukraine on a long- term strategy. That requires more finances for Ukraine. That requires clear political paths for Ukraine and Moldova to join the European Union. That requires build- up of of defence industry, defence capabilities. So, European members of NATO, the EU member states. So, there is plenty to do. But I do believe that yes, the calculation of Putin is there. Now, we have to do whatever it takes to prove him completely wrong.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Thank you very much.