MEPs discuss the large-scale Russian military build-up along the Ukrainian border. Opening statement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the European Union. This transcript is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

EU - Ukraine (T)

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

EU - Russia (T)

BORRELL FONTELLES, Josep (PSE, ES, EC)

Situation at the Ukrainian border and in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine: opening statement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the European Union

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, Mr. President, honourable members. We change the geographical situation, we changed the latitude and longitude of the coordinates, but the problem, it's also very much worrying. Now we talk about the situation in the Ukrainian border and in the Russian occupied territories of Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, I've been talking a lot about it this weekend in Liverpool together with my fellow colleagues of the G7. You know, the most important, the biggest democracies in the world. I've been talking a lot with Secretary of State Blinken. And we will talk a lot about it on the next European Union Council. We talked yesterday about it also with my fellow ministers of foreign affairs.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, So I think I have all the information I may have in order to come here to discuss with you about the Russian military build-up around Ukraine. First facts: in November, Russia has been massing troops in an unusual manner and troops and weapons around Ukraine's borders. You know that Ukraine is a tighter border, it is in a close strategic part, so it's normal that we are worried for this movement of Russian troops.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, I had the opportunity also to talk about it with the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, Sergei Lavrov, during the OSCE meeting in Stockholm and with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Ukraine, and at the OSCE meeting in Stockholm they had their witnessing a lively exchange of views between Minister Lavrov and Secretary of State Blinken about this issue.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, We are due to be a Union. We maintain regular contact with President Zelensky, with Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister. With present all levels, our political support to Ukraine. We publicly recall our unwavering support to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within each international recognised border. According to Russian sources, nothing happened.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, They are only moving their troops inside their territory, they are not violating any international law nor any constitutional internal rule. And certainly, they are moving troops inside their borders but with the precedents with what has happened in between Ukraine and Russia, it is quite justified that the Ukrainians are worried and that we have to express our political support.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, But today we are on prevention mode. Today, we are on trying to avoid further escalations, and to work on all avenues that we can in order to deter further Russian actions. Today we are on the Deterring Mode, Prevention Mode, Dissuasion mode in order to avoid the crisis to escalate and to reach a level of military conflict. We had are doing what we can for that.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, Yesterday, our Foreign Affairs Council, our members reiterated our support to Ukraine, as I said, and also we have recently adopted a set of assistance measures under the European Peace Facility, a new financial tool which is under my Political Implementation Authority in supporting Ukrainian armed forces in areas including the provision of military, medical engineering, equipment, mobility, logistic and cyber defence support.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, Not providing lethal arms, but on all the fields that an army requires in order to be operational. This is a tangible way of showing our support to strengthening Ukrainian resilience and also our support to the Ukrainians reform agenda since 2014, because the reforms inside Ukraine are also an important component of Ukrainians overall resilience to external challenges.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, The better we will be functioning the Ukranian democracy, the highest quality you would have on fighting against internal problems. There will be a stronger to register new challenges. But we have today to talk about an attempt to undermine further the Ukrainian territorial integrity who was jeopardised when Russia took over on Crimea.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, And this would come, if it happens again, with severe political consequences and with a high political and economic cost for Russia. If this was the case, we have to act in unity. We are coordinating closely with our trans-Atlantic allies and partners. We did that on Sunday, and our G7 statement was clear on this position. We called on Russia to de-escalate.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, To pursue diplomatic channels and abide by its international commitments on transparency of military activities, President Biden also did in his call with President Putin on the last 7th of December. In the meantime, as I said, we are on deterring situation prevention mode and we continue to do a full diplomatic outreach.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, We reconfirm our support to France and Germany in the Normandy format to achieve full implementation of the Minsk agreements in order to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine. We are studying the different scenarios, that one could imagine, that could happen in the following days or weeks. We recall Russia's responsibility in implementing the Minsk agreements, it remains a key issue.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, And we will continue demonstrating that we will not hesitate to take actions when needed by imposing restrictive measures against Russia based Wagner group. We want to raise your attention to the fact that this restrictive measures has already been taken and the Council approved them yesterday.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, I know that for the Russian authorities, Wagner Group is a private company. But in any case, we consider that we have to show a strong determination to stand up for our interests and values in our neighbourhood and beyond. Honorable members, Ukraine has the right to make its own foreign and security policy choices. It's an independent and sovereign country, and he has the right to make its own foreign and security policy choices, and we respect fully these choices.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, Since the starting point of the conflict, almost eight years ago, we have been steadfast by Ukrainian side. Furthermore, the Ukrainians diplomatic efforts to keep the illegal annexation of Crimea high on the international agenda, including through the launch of this international Crimean platform, are welcome and will be supported.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, And tomorrow, at the meeting with the Eastern Partnership summit, we will have another occasion to stress that there is a room for enhanced cooperation between the EU and these countries, as well as for gradual convergence in the area of foreign and security policy in line with partners commitments with the EU.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, I think that strengthening our partners in strategic communication capabilities will also be an important element of building resilience, including the fight against disinformation and effective manipulation. And there is a lot of it, as you very well know. So by the time being, once again, we are expecting the best and preparing for the worst.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, And should the occasion in Ukraine deteriorate, it should not be doubt that we would be ready to respond. But by the time being, we don't want to contribute to any kind of escalation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Commission, We want to be on this prevention mode, the work of diplomacy, to try to study the different scenarios, to have an answer prepared for each one of them and make it clear we would be our answer for any one of them if they happen. So allow me to finish with these words: expect the best and be prepared for the worst.