MEPs reaffirm the need for the EU to stand firmly and united behind Ukraine after almost two years of war. During the debate with the Council and Commission, MEPs assess the latest developments in the war and the efforts to provide more financial support to Ukraine. Opening statement by Hadja LAHBIB, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

EU - Ukraine (T)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

troubles in Ukraine (T)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

solidarity with Ukraine (T)

LAHBIB, Hadja (BE)

The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: opening statements by Hadja LAHBIB, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission

SOUNDBITE (English), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dear President of the Parliament, Madame President of the Commission, dear Commissioner, Honourable Member of the Parliament. The passionate debate we just had is certainly linked to the fact that we are celebrating, approaching to this very, very sad anniversary. Indeed, almost two years ago, Russia, driven by the anachronistic urge to redraw, to redefine maybe the map of Europe to satisfy its expansionist ambitions, launch a full scale military aggression against Ukraine, bringing the war back to Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, And let's just remember that, Russia's aggression against Ukraine is a clear violation of the charter of the United Nations and the fundamental principles of International Law. For almost two years, it has been causing enormous human suffering in Ukraine and causing our exacerbating global crisis, inflicting considerable damage on the global economy. This war is today one of the main threats to peace and stability on our continent and far beyond.

SOUNDBITE (English), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, In the face of this immense challenge, europe has shown unity and determination since day one. The European Council has provided strategic guidance for the European Union's response and taken decisive actions. The EU has the strongly condemned Russian aggression and played a fundamental role in efforts to isolate Russia on the international stage. In addition to unwavering political support, the European Union, led by its Member States, has provided an extraordinary level of humanitarian, financial, economic and military support to Ukraine. And let me elaborate one of  the main aspects of this unprecedent effort.

SOUNDBITE (French), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, I must emphasise that our assistance to Ukraine is not only continuing, it is also increasing. As President Charles Michel has just said, last week an extraordinary European Council gave the green light to additional assistance to Ukraine to the tune of €50 billion for the period 2024 to 2027 thanks to the Ukraine facility. It is right now vital to finalise this package, which allows for stable, long term assistance to Ukraine, and I thank the European Parliament for its constructive work in the trialogue, which led to an agreement in principle last night.

SOUNDBITE (French), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, This is an agreement which puts as long as it takes into practice and helps to secure a future for Ukraine and its population. There are 31 billion in budget support and humanitarian aid and 25 billion in military assistance and we have increased humanitarian assistance and civil protection assistance, which is benefiting 10 million people in Ukraine. We have also received on our territory more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees with protection extended to March 2025, following a unanimous decision by the Member States in October of last year.

SOUNDBITE (French), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, This assistance has some consequences, and I appreciate the Solidarity Corridors which we should keep and which we should improve to guarantee continued export of Ukrainian grain and agricultural products in order to lessen the risk of famine. All of our energy today and tomorrow must be centred on unity, on our long term cohesion.

SOUNDBITE (French), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, The opening of accession negotiations with Ukraine is a very important signal, both to Ukraine and Russia. As far as the European Union is concerned, Europe and Ukraine's accession to the EU is only a matter of time and the clock is ticking. As we assist Ukraine, we continue to weaken Russia by means of sanctions. We are hoping to finalise a 13th package of sanctions on the symbolic date of 24th of February 2024. Council has used the European Peace Facility to deliver €5.6 billion in assistance in the form of military equipment to Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (French), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, 'We need to speed up the delivery of munitions and missiles in order to ensure that Ukraine gets a million 155-mm shells from us as soon as possible. We're only on 524,000. That's not what we promised and we need to do better. The European Union and the Member States are working closely with Ukraine and a very large number of countries who are seeking a just and global peace under the aegis of the United Nations.

SOUNDBITE (French), Hadja LAHBIB, Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, We support the Ukrainian peace formula and we're ready to work for peace. We are ready to cooperate in the Summit for Peace, to work on the Ukrainian peace plan put forward by President Zelensky. The European Union remains utterly determined. Our determination must be unwavering. The future of Ukraine and the future of Europe depends on it. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Mr. President, Madame Minister. Honourable Members. In any fight, it is always the side fighting for something that has a higher power on its side. It is the one who believes in what they are fighting for that will sacrifice and do what it takes to prevail. And conversely, it is the side who fights against something that will always be scared. Scared to lose. Scared to think of the future. Scared to speak out.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, 'Two years ago, Putin and Russia started a war against something. A war against Ukraine and its territory, but also against the people and a nation with an iron will and hope for the future. Against the European aspirations. Against the values they share with us, and quite simply, against both modern reality and the strong tides of European history. And in doing so, Putin started a fight against all of us, against freedom, self-determination and democracy at large, against everything that we have stood for over 70 years.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Ukraine has proven the power of a nation and the people fighting for something, for themselves first and foremost, but also for us and for everything that we believe in. Freedom, democracy, rights and aspirations. Some were surprised by Ukraine's heroic action, but no one should have been surprised that when faced with oppression, subjugation and tyranny, they chose resistance. And that is why, Honourable Members, I remain just as convinced of one simple fact today than I was two years ago standing in front of you, and that is that Ukraine will prevail and that Europe will stand with Ukraine every step of the way.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Honourable Members, we have spoken in great detail over the last two years on the EU's historic and massive support for Ukraine, be it military or financial, be it based on sanctions, security or the single market. On the historic path of Ukraine to our Union, that this House has been such a strong supporter of. But today on this point and anniversary debate, it is a time to look deeper at how we have got there and where we must go.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, The starting point is that Ukraine and Europe have shown that we are willing to fight and pay the ultimate price for the things that we believe in. And this was one of Putin's greatest miscalculations in that month of February as he amassed troops on the border and planned a quick lightning strike on Kyiv.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Mr. Putin, you made this mistake because you cannot understand what drives a human spirit when it is free to think, dream, create and prosper. Nor can you understand because you cannot bear to accept that a human desire for freedom will always win. And Honourable Members, Putin cannot understand that if you give people a choice, they choose liberty once and for all.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, And in Ukraine's case, they fight for liberation. He cannot understand that the fight of the Ukrainian is different to the fight of a Russian soldier whose lives Putin has callously churned for a past long gone and a future that could never exist. Ukraine's sacrifice is the opposite. Why do they fight? Because they are battling, toiling for something existential and inherent to the human condition.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, This is why Ukraine's will is not just stronger than Russia's. It is fundamentally different in nature and in character. And this is what Putin will never comprehend about us. This is why his invasion was not just morally, but also strategically wrong. He cannot understand freedom and why we fight for it, because his only instinct is to crush what he fears. And this explains what has happened in the last two years.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Instead of toppling Kiev, dividing the European Union and weakening NATO, the exact opposite has happened on each and every count. With the support of the European Union and our allies, Ukraine has not only held firm against a bigger country, a bigger army and a bigger economy, but it has retaken more than half of the territory that Russia occupied from the start of this conflict. They have knocked back Russian offensives last winter and are doing the same now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, And this indomitable spirit is what we have to keep in mind here in Europe and right across the democratic world at this juncture of the war. There is no time for wavering. There is no time for navel gazing. The message Europe sent at last week's European Council was crystal clear. And let me repeat it here. Europe will be at Ukraine's side for every single day of this war and for every single day thereafter.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Honourable Members. Above all, a momentum to support Ukraine and to protect our own future. That means thinking about reconstruction, about security commitments, about strengthening the international system to avoid any repeats or reruns. It also means continuing to support Ukraine in every way we can. Take military support. So far, we have trained over 40,000 Ukrainian soldiers. Our Union and Member States have mobilised €28 billion worth of military equipment. The European defence industry has increased its production capacity for ammunition by 40%. We will have delivered over half a million rounds of artillery shells by next month, more than 1 million by the end of the year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, But this is certainly not enough. Not only must we accelerate the delivery of ammunition to Ukraine, as we look to the future, we must think of Ukraine's defence capabilities as part of our defence capabilities. We must think of Ukraine's defence industry as part of our own defence industry. And this is why we have involved Ukraine in the preparations of our own defence industrial strategy. It is a first step, which should lead to integrating Ukraine in some of our defence programmes with the agreement of the European Parliament and Council where necessary. This would not only help us cater for Ukraine's defence needs, it will also encourage convergence and joint planning between our militaries and defence industries. Ukraine is a future member of our European Union, so it must get much closer to us also in the field of defence.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, 'And this leads me to my third and last point. On Ukraine's path towards our union. The contrast with just ten years ago could not be starker. Back then, a pro-Russia regime in Ukraine was passing authoritarian laws and killing protesters on the streets. Today, this country has just given itself new legislation to expand national minority rights, to improve the judicial system, and to ensure checks and balances on power. And this is what led us to launching the accession negotiations. And this progress is happening not only because Europe is asking for it. This is the deep desire of the people of Ukraine. Ukraine is Europe because Europe is in the hearts and in the minds of Ukrainians. And soon enough, Ukraine will also be in our Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Honourable Members, The anniversary that we mark today is a tragic loss of human lives and suffering, and it is all the more tragic as we know there will be more pain and more suffering ahead. We know how much is at stake here for those in Ukraine and also for the rest of Europe. Putin's fantasy and fabricated war and Ukraine's heroic resistance have reminded us here that our freedoms and our democracy are worth fighting for it. So today we pay tribute to those who are fighting, and we pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in fighting for something. Slava, Ukrainians.