What Sandra spoke about.

Firstly, I would like to thank Dace Melbārde for her excellent report, it is very important to analyse the situation in the media and put concrete solutions on the table right now, a task that the rapporteur has done brilliantly. Unfortunately, the media ecosystem was already fragile before the pandemic. The last decade signalled a significant deterioration in media freedom, with audiences shiftin

The report on the EU-NATO cooperation in the context of transatlantic relations could not be timely. Europe and North America face multiple common threats – threats to our democracies, climate change, pandemics, terrorism as well as challenges linked to cyber and hybrid threats. I would like to underline also information manipulation and coordinated disinformation campaigns, on which am preparing

Dear Chair, Colleagues! Everything is allowed in the Russian state-sponsored terrorism campaign. Barbaric drone safaris, shelling and sinking of merchant ships, explosions, sabotage, burning and destruction of digital infrastructure in nearby and distant neighbouring countries. Last week alone, Russia has murdered more than 100 Ukrainian civilians. More than 18 seafarers died in the Black Sea. Col

Dear Chair, Colleagues! Putin's dictatorship has held the most historically repressive Duma elections. It is even difficult to call them elections because they do not meet the simplest democratic standards. Political opposition, criminalised protests, fully controlled media and propaganda, fake voter turnout data – dead souls on voting lists – are banned, and there is no independent international

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Russia's full-scale attack on Ukraine, which has been going on for the fifth year, is not just a military conflict. Russia's neo-imperialist aggression has and will have a profound and lasting impact on international law, European security, democracy and the lives of millions of people. All Russian state instruments – the government, the economy, the financial sector, propa

Unfortunately, the legislative process always lags behind science and public opinion, and other aspects of the development of society. That is why I am not sure that the law that we will be introducing in a short time will really guarantee us security from the difficulties and growth challenges that we are currently facing in the field of artificial intelligence. We are living in an immensely revo

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Asking the AI chat robot about the Russian aggression in Ukraine, its answers are often repeated by Kremlin mantras about Nazism in Ukraine, about secret US bio-weapon laboratories, about the theft of Western military aid. According to NewsGuard the research carried out, in which ten leading chat robots were tested, they systematically repeat falsehoods, false stories about

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, Ukraine is strong and does not give up already a thousand four hundred and sixty-one days. Ukraine currently has the strongest army in Europe. With unparalleled experience. With innovation and technology on the battlefield. Above all, I want to fight and defend my country, values and freedom. Yes, Europeans have done a lot to support Ukraine. Since the US stopped its m

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Cyber threats are growing in complexity and scale from Russia, China, Iran, North Korea and organised crime. These are huge security risks to our democracies posed by the misuse of artificial intelligence. We know that Russia trains artificial intelligence models with fake data and propaganda. China is developing models that are in line with the ideology of the Communist Pa

Dear Chair, Commissioner, Colleagues, The Russian network of influencers in Europe is extensive and toxic. It also operates in the European Parliament. The only thing left is to listen to the speeches of some Members and look at their votes to see how purposefully they support the Kremlin. Their aim is to unite our societies, sow hatred and create disbelief in European values, as well as to promot

Dear Chair, Colleagues, In a context where US support for Ukraine is changing after every phone call with Putin, Europe must take full responsibility for Ukraine's political, military and financial support. No one wants peace more than the heroic Ukrainian people, but peace must be just. Aggressors should not be rewarded for aggression. The borders of the countries cannot be changed by force, so R

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Ukraine needs at least 40 billion external assistance in 2026 to withstand the upcoming difficult winter in a context of increased destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure by Russia. Our choice is simple: either to help us use our taxpayers’ money or the aggressor’s money. It would be correct to use both. European countries are rich enough to provide more support to U

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Commissioner, In the Baltic Sea region, the number of Russian hybrid attacks at sea, in the air and on land is growing rapidly. Russia is testing our response, reconnaissance and trying to inflict fear in society to undermine support for Ukraine. We need to create air defence capabilities that would deter Russia from flying drone parapherns in European airspace. We need to

Dear Chair, Colleagues, It is great that President Maia Sandu addressed the European Parliament today. She is a political and moral authority not only for the Moldovans, but also for all Europeans. Moldova's progress towards European integration is so impressive that we need to open accession negotiations as soon as possible. Moldova, together with Ukraine, belongs to the European Union and togeth

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Is there anyone here in the European Parliament who believes that Putin really wants peace? If so, they are naive people or friends of the Kremlin. Russia has stepped up its destructive attacks on Ukrainian civilians, infrastructure, without sacrificing the headquarters of the government. Thus, the Kremlin is mocking the efforts of the US and the European Union to stop the

Dear Chair, Colleagues, I am truly pleased that Siarhei Tsikhanouski and some other political prisoners, mainly foreign citizens, have been released, but more than 1 200 political prisoners are still smiling in prisons. The recently published UN report reveals a terrible picture. It is like a handbook from the KGB, where political prisoners are systematically subjected to torture, sexual violence,

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Europe must be aware that Russia's imperialist goals extend beyond Ukraine. The data of various intelligence services clearly prove that Russia is armed and preparing for confrontation with NATO. Allies must therefore commit to investing 5% of their GDP in defence as a matter of urgency. The Hague Summit must decide on this ambitious goal in the near future. My country, Lat

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, The fourth year of Russian aggression is underway. On a daily basis, Ukrainians are killed, mutilated, robbed, subjected to violence. The situation is particularly severe in the occupied territories, where Ukraine suffers crimes of Russian administrative power and security services, is arbitrarily imprisoned and tortured. This Russian colonial policy is a crime that ca

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, The European Commission's proposal to completely stop all energy imports from Russia by 2027 is a major step in strengthening our independence and security. Russia is and will remain the biggest immediate security threat to our continent. Russia is restoring its military potential and preparing for a long-term confrontation with Europe. We need to be prepared for each

Dear Chair, Colleagues, On the ninth of May, we celebrate Europe Day. It symbolises the ability of European countries to learn from history. Combine to prevent the recurrence of bloody wars. However, Europe is once again in the shadow of war. It is already the fourth year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Putin justifies his unprovoked, brutal aggression with falsifications of history. The Kreml