What Mārtiņš spoke about.

Mr President, As rapporteur for the Committee on Security and Defence on the 2027 budget, I am pleased that a number of our proposals have been supported, in particular the 6.8 million dedicated to small and medium-sized defence companies. These are the companies that create new technologies for us the fastest, but they are the ones who find it hardest to access finance. A further €20 million is e

Madam President, colleagues, everyone tells Brussels to cut the red tape. And when we try, they say no. I support the defence omnibus. Europe needs to build defence equipment faster together, but let's be honest: if the goal was ten times better, we got maybe two. Parliament wanted to move fast. The problem sits in our capitals, where defence is still treated only as a national matter, not a Europ

Mr President, it was Monday night while many of us woke up early to catch the flight to Strasbourg that Kyiv was hit again. The Russian missiles and drones killed 28 people, dozens wounded and true horror. So some in Europe are tired of the war, that's fair enough. But what gives Ukrainians the strength to keep fighting even though they are so tired of this horror? I have asked this question to Uk

Mr President, dear colleagues, I welcome this debate and I thank all the colleagues from Romania, Finland, the Baltic States and other countries for making it happen. But while we speak about the drones, let us not forget about the most powerful weapon Russia has, and it is lies. Russia spread the lies that drones were launched from the Baltic territory. And this is an aggressive attack, designed

Madam President, dear colleagues, I serve as a volunteer in the Latvian armed forces, my wife also serves and our son has joined as well. In Latvia and in our region, this is normal. But Europe as a whole faces one problem that too many politicians avoid saying out loud: we simply do not have enough military personnel. Our 'plan A' remains NATO and Article 5 and it must stay that way. Every day we

Mr President, let me speak directly to my colleagues from Orbán's political group. In Latvia, we have a saying: 'zaudēt ir jāmāk' – you have to know how to lose. This debate should not be happening because nobody here is confused about who interfered in Hungary's elections. It wasn't Europe, it was the Kremlin, and it was Trump. The fear campaigns, the false flags, Russian bot armies and JD Vance,

Madam President, dear colleagues, there is no peace without justice. Every day this war continues and Ukrainian civilians pay – with their homes, their children, their lives and their future. And the man who orders it sits in the Kremlin, untouched. I personally face criminal case in Belarus for flying a free Belarusian flag here in Europe. But as for those who ordered murders, torture and rape, E

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, In the report, we included one important section, 'Towards common standards in the European defence industry', and thank you for your excellent cooperation. Let us be honest, however, that the report itself will not do anything until the Commission produces specific legislation, because it is clear that the industry will not agree on its own. Each company has its own s

Madam President, colleagues, I once sat next to a wealthy American who talked to me about the new concept, 'F-you money'. It's not about riches; it's about the ability to sometimes say no, to walk away from your dead-end job and control your own future. And right now, Europe does not have that kind of privilege. Around 80 000 US troops are stationed here, forming a pan-European security force. We

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, Drones are no longer the future. They are needed today not only for our defence forces, but also for our civil security, because what we see is Russia's attacks on our infrastructure; Example 2:am to paralyse European airports. That is why Europe must be ready to react quickly and effectively. Latvia is an example of how one small country can become a drone powerhouse.

Mr President, dear colleagues, this report matters because we no longer live in a safe world. On Europe's eastern flank, we see it every day: the violation of our airspace, cyber-attacks, sabotages and disinformation. And these are not just 'cyber threats', as some like to say, they are deliberate acts of aggression, mainly from Russia – meant to scare us, divide us and test our resolve. This repo

Madam President, esteemed colleagues, after a long discussion, the European Defence Industry Programme is finally coming. Europe can be truly independent only if we take our destiny in our hands. Without strong defence, we risk letting other powers like the US, China and Russia decide Europe's future. This is the clearest lesson from Trump's one‑sided EU trade deal and this so‑called 'peace plan'

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, Too slow and too late, but Europe seems to have finally understood: the sooner we get rid of Russian gas and oil, the sooner this Russian war machine will also be suppressed. Latvia renounced Russian gas 1,000 days ago. And look at what is happening to European countries that have not done so, such as Hungary and Slovakia. I imagined this feeling of humiliation for Hun

Madam President, honourable Members, the people of Belarus do not stand with Lukashenka, and they don't stand with Putin either. And we share their dream of freedom and a country where the government serves its citizens, and does not imprison them, where the Belarusian language is celebrated, not suppressed, where allies treat Belarus with respect, not as a platform to start wars or for nuclear we

Madam President, dear colleagues, Russia is collapsing: over 1 million soldiers dead or wounded; more than 11 000 armoured vehicles, tanks, have been destroyed; and billions of euros lost. War spending now consumes almost 40 % of the state budget. Yet, after three and a half years, Russia still has no victory in sight. That's why the Kremlin has changed its tactics. Unable to win on the battlefiel

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Today we hear a disclaimer here that these are already a few drones. Well, who doesn't?! It's human to make mistakes. Maybe next time everything will fall into Ukraine. I listen and see in which country’s information space some live – obviously Russian. Russia hates the Western world. Russia hates a united Europe. Instead of the European Union, Putin would like small, ludic

Madam President, dear colleagues, I too dislike the one-sided trade deal with the United States. I too dislike watching Europe quietly accept the shifting world order, or the next sudden decision from the US President. We can shout in the sky, tear our eyes out, or hold an endless non-confidence vote, but nothing will change if we do not understand one simple truth: any Commission will have its ha

Madam President, colleagues, crises are part of Europe. But when disaster strikes, it's not a governmental official who knocks first at your door – it's your neighbour. And that is where true preparedness begins: in trust between people; in the strength of local NGOs and community groups, who know the names and needs in their neighbourhoods. They can organise training, build resilience from the bo

Madam President, dear colleagues, our threat has one clear name: it's Russia. And that's why NATO countries have to do more than just make a stand. Ukraine is leading by example with courage, with strategy and with a refusal to back down. We all saw what Ukraine achieved when it reached deep into Russian territory, and destroyed the very bombers that had been terrorising its cities and people. Mos

Mr Preisdent, if someone from Belarusian opposition spoke here today, they would be risking for freedom, safety and family well-being. In Belarus, the government doesn't just go after those who speak out inside the country, it also punishes those who voice their opinions, even here in the European Union. Simply travelling to the EU or speaking up can lead to jail time and losing everything they ow