Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, is fully committed to the war in Ukraine and what needs to be done in Europe.
Mr President, is it time for the European army?
“With war raging on our continent, it is necessary for Europe to orient itself towards a genuine security and defense union. We urgently need to increase our defense investment, and that includes using our European budget wisely. But speaking of European security means going beyond defence, issues such as energy security, food security and disinformation must be placed in the same context.
There is an energy problem.
“Energy has always been a political topic, now more than ever. Given what we are seeing in Ukraine, our goal must be zero Russian gas. But we cannot ignore the fact that there are member states that are 100% dependent on the Kremlin’s gas supplies. We must therefore act quickly to reduce our dependence on Russian gas, try to diversify our energy mix and invest even more in renewable energy. As long as Europe depends on the energy of third countries like Russia, we remain dependent and implicitly complicit in their crimes».
“Freedom and democracy come at a price,” he said.
“We face the challenge of preserving democratic states. We can no longer take democracy, freedom or our way of life for granted. What we Europeans have is precious and it is our responsibility to protect it, but now it is Ukraine that is fighting for us, fighting our war, defending our values. However, I want to be optimistic because Europe has always shown itself more united in times of crisis, it happened during the pandemic and it is happening now with the war in Ukraine. What we have seen over the past few months and weeks has shown us that staying united is the only way to withstand the important challenges that we must face ».
They fight for freedom of information.
“Without freedom of information there is no democracy. The European Union will always be at the forefront in defending freedom of expression, freedom of the media and the rights of journalists. We must ensure that journalists never fear for their lives. We will do whatever is necessary to stop the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign. However, we must make an important distinction between the Russian government and the Russian people who do not support the war. We are on the side of the opponents of the regime in Russia, we are on the side of those who have the courage to demonstrate for peace. We will always stand by the citizens who fight for our values on the streets. The Russians who oppose Putin, despite the threat of jail time, are the ones who can make a difference in this situation. You are on the right side of history».
Are we ready for the return of a bipolar world?
«Putin’s war has cast a dark shadow over Europe. A war that rejects the fundamental rules on which the international order is founded and the principle of multilateralism that the EU defends. We face an existential threat to the Europe we know, the Europe we have all given so much for. But the message from Europe is also very clear: we are united and united we will continue to fight. As Ukrainians show us, our way of life is worth defending. Anyone who remembers occupation and oppression will attest to this. Europe consists in tearing down walls and building bridges, not in division and spheres of interest ».
You asked for a trial in The Hague for Putin and Lukashenko.
“What Putin and Lukashenko are doing in Ukraine is a war crime and they must be held accountable by the International Criminal Court. We need to show the world that the rule of law takes precedence over gun laws.”
Is the procedure for Ukraine’s accession to the EU being followed?
“Of course. We already have association and free trade agreements and very close cooperation with Ukraine in many areas, including energy security. Europe is ready to go further. We recognize Ukraine’s European perspective and welcome Ukraine’s application for candidate status , of course, if conditions allow. That is what we will work towards, because we must look to the future together. The most important thing is that Ukraine in its struggle for survival can look to the EU and nowhere else. It is a message of hope ».
Globalization has been disrupted. What reaction?
“Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has already changed everything in Europe and destroyed the peace that we have known in Europe for some time. It changed everything, probably forever. Our response must be commensurate with the serious, real and growing threat to our collective security. Our companies no longer need to look to Russia to grow. As the costs of Putin’s war affect our communities, we must be prepared to ensure Europe’s economic base and security. Europe must be ambitious. How we react to defend our European values will be crucial. We need to rethink Europe’s role in this new world and look to the future together.”