Speeches

Madam President, dear colleagues, it is very good that there is a coalition of the willing who want to provide Ukraine with security guarantees, but let us not get ahead of ourselves. Europe has increased its military help for Ukraine, but it is far from enough. Last week we all saw Russia launch one of its deadliest attacks on Ukraine. The Russian economy is not collapsing as predicted. Our sanctions, colleagues, don't bite hard enough. We are now on our 19th sanctions package. We are slow. The implementation remains weak and we lack a central authority for enforcement. We are also – and the Commissioner and Kaja know this – too soft on third countries and companies who still supply Russia with chips and other precision tools that allow them to build strategic weapons. So please, colleagues, let us strengthen Ukraine to the point where they can win the peace. Commissioner Kos, I really want to say I appreciate your efforts for enlargement, but I didn't hear anything on the reform of Europe, so please...

Madam President, dear colleagues, I raise on a point of order under Rule 150. In July, colleagues, you all remember we voted a strong resolution to free Mr Joseph Figueira Martin, a Belgian-Portuguese citizen who has now been unjustly imprisoned in the Central African Republic for over 470 days. The same is true for Ahmadreza Djalali, who remains imprisoned under dire conditions. And Jimmy Lai, the publisher and democracy advocate, continues to be in jail in Hong Kong, facing ongoing persecution and grave risks to his well-being. Madam President, colleagues, we vote here in this House, every session, urgency – urgencies on the lives of European citizens. And then we say and look to each other and nothing happens. So I really want to ask you, Madam President, what can we do to get those European citizens free as soon as possible?

Mr President, today I am addressing you with seriousness and determination. Joseph Figueira Martin, my compatriot, a Belgian-Portuguese aid worker, has been detained for more than a year in the Central African Republic, without a fair trial, without credible charges, and without adequate medical care. He was abducted by the Wagner Group, tortured and isolated. We can no longer remain silent in the face of this injustice. Europe must demand his immediate and unconditional release. We call for his emergency medical evacuation, full legal and consular assistance and enhanced diplomatic action by the European Union, Belgium and Portugal. If his rights continue to be violated, targeted sanctions must follow. Release Joseph Figueira Martin now, right now!

Mr President, today I am addressing you with seriousness and determination. Joseph Figueira Martin, my compatriot, a Belgian-Portuguese aid worker, has been detained for more than a year in the Central African Republic, without a fair trial, without credible charges, and without adequate medical care. He was abducted by the Wagner Group, tortured and isolated. We can no longer remain silent in the face of this injustice. Europe must demand his immediate and unconditional release. We call for his emergency medical evacuation, full legal and consular assistance and enhanced diplomatic action by the European Union, Belgium and Portugal. If his rights continue to be violated, targeted sanctions must follow. Release Joseph Figueira Martin now, right now!

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we welcome the important step in the search for lasting peace in the Congo. But does this agreement improve the situation on the ground? Commissioner, where is Europe? Why is the Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda not yet suspended? This conflict has claimed more than 10 million lives. It is as if an entire country, such as Belgium, has been wiped off the map. As part of our mission in May, we found that the Congolese people, after more than 30 years of conflict orchestrated by Rwanda and others, aspired above all to justice, which is the essential pillar of lasting peace. Colleagues, the Council and the Commission must keep up the pressure with sanctions, because, despite the signing of the peace agreement, Rwanda continues to threaten and conquer other territories. Take the necessary sanctions and ensure that those responsible for these atrocities do not go unpunished, as demanded by the European Parliament in its two resolutions. Amani kwenu!

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we welcome the important step in the search for lasting peace in the Congo. But does this agreement improve the situation on the ground? Commissioner, where is Europe? Why is the Memorandum of Understanding with Rwanda not yet suspended? This conflict has claimed more than 10 million lives. It is as if an entire country, such as Belgium, has been wiped off the map. As part of our mission in May, we found that the Congolese people, after more than 30 years of conflict orchestrated by Rwanda and others, aspired above all to justice, which is the essential pillar of lasting peace. Colleagues, the Council and the Commission must keep up the pressure with sanctions, because, despite the signing of the peace agreement, Rwanda continues to threaten and conquer other territories. Take the necessary sanctions and ensure that those responsible for these atrocities do not go unpunished, as demanded by the European Parliament in its two resolutions. Amani kwenu!

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, yes, I am one of those 200 000 people who attended the Pride in Budapest. The Pride that Orbán with all his might has tried to ban by instilling fear in us with fines, facial recognition and arrests. In fact, these are practices that we should not accept in a free Europe in 2025. Fortunately, Orbán got the opposite of what he wanted. He received the greatest pride of all time. I have seen grandmothers and grandfathers marching with the whole brave LGBTQI community from Hungary. Together – sorry, for the use of words – we said very clearly: “Fuck off, Orbán′′. That's what we said on the streets of Budapest. Together we wore the rainbow flags with pride. What I have not seen, however, Mr McGrath, is a courageous response from the Commission. Commissioner Lahbib was there. I missed you there. I had hoped to see you there, along with Ursula, along with many others. I really hoped you'd give a strong signal. We know what to do. We must deprive Orbán of his right to vote in the Council. We must stop funding him and we must do what Mr Wilmès said: Set up a Rule of Law Semester for all countries.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, yes, I am one of those 200 000 people who attended the Pride in Budapest. The Pride that Orbán with all his might has tried to ban by instilling fear in us with fines, facial recognition and arrests. In fact, these are practices that we should not accept in a free Europe in 2025. Fortunately, Orbán got the opposite of what he wanted. He received the greatest pride of all time. I have seen grandmothers and grandfathers marching with the whole brave LGBTQI community from Hungary. Together – sorry, for the use of words – we said very clearly: “Fuck off, Orbán′′. That's what we said on the streets of Budapest. Together we wore the rainbow flags with pride. What I have not seen, however, Mr McGrath, is a courageous response from the Commission. Commissioner Lahbib was there. I missed you there. I had hoped to see you there, along with Ursula, along with many others. I really hoped you'd give a strong signal. We know what to do. We must deprive Orbán of his right to vote in the Council. We must stop funding him and we must do what Mr Wilmès said: Set up a Rule of Law Semester for all countries.

Madam President, Minister, Commissioner, colleagues, the European Union stands at a crossroads. The recent reports confirm what we can no longer ignore: grave violations of human rights by Israel, including attacks on hospitals, the blockade of humanitarian aid and forced displacement. Over 17 000 children have been killed in Gaza, according to Unicef today. There is no doubt, colleagues, these acts breach Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. And international courts have spoken. So, if we fail to act now, we not only undermine our own laws, we erode our global credibility. Therefore, I call for the immediate suspension of the association agreement. No trade, no cooperation, no impunity – this until international law is upheld. Let us prove that our values are not up for negotiation. And colleagues, if this is not happening, maybe we really should give a strong signal and not vote for the discharge of the Council in October.

Madam President, Minister, Commissioner, colleagues, the European Union stands at a crossroads. The recent reports confirm what we can no longer ignore: grave violations of human rights by Israel, including attacks on hospitals, the blockade of humanitarian aid and forced displacement. Over 17 000 children have been killed in Gaza, according to Unicef today. There is no doubt, colleagues, these acts breach Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. And international courts have spoken. So, if we fail to act now, we not only undermine our own laws, we erode our global credibility. Therefore, I call for the immediate suspension of the association agreement. No trade, no cooperation, no impunity – this until international law is upheld. Let us prove that our values are not up for negotiation. And colleagues, if this is not happening, maybe we really should give a strong signal and not vote for the discharge of the Council in October.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, we have heard it several times today: China's export restrictions on our raw materials are one of the biggest threats to our European industry. That is why we must now dare to set a border with China. China will not like it and will retaliate. However, it would be much worse to continue now as if nothing were going on, because that would cost us much more in the long run. Then the scenario of Russian gas really threatens. This resolution, thanks to the hard work of my colleague Bart Groothuis, is therefore a very clear signal to you from the European Commission. Go for strategic autonomy, create new supply lines with our allies, inside and outside Europe, and be creative. See what is possible in terms of mining at sea and in space. Colleagues, the world is bigger than China and the US. There are whole continents waiting for Europe. Not least Africa, which looks very much at Europe, but is treated stepmotherly by us. So, dear Commission, I sincerely hope that you will have a strong summit. Roll up your sleeves and go out into the world.

Mr President, nine years. For so long, the Iranian regime has held Dr. Djalali, our VUB professor, hostage. A European citizen, tortured, without medical care, sentenced to death after a mock trial. Now, with increasing tensions, his life is even more in danger. Iran uses it as a currency. What about us? We're watching. This is no longer an individual file. For me, this is the litmus test for Europe. Are we able to protect our European citizens? Are we able to free our European citizens – and Djalali is the longest-staying European citizen in Iran – now? For me, now is really the time. For me, Djalali must now be released immediately and unconditionally. When it comes to negotiation, this is a conditio sine qua non. Give Djalali back to his wife Vida and her children. Free Jalali, free Jalali, now.

Madam President, colleagues, what you are witnessing in Gaza is not just a human tragedy. It's a giant failure of us as part of the international community. Every day Europe does not act, we become more and more complicit to acts of genocidal violence. Yes, Israel has a right to exist and to defend itself. Yes, Israel has the right to use force to free the hostages. But what Netanyahu is doing has nothing to do with that. He is exacting collective punishment on the Palestinian people. Tens of thousands of innocent civilians, children, mothers, aid workers have been killed. The entire Gaza Strip has been flattened. Starvation is used as a tactic of war. This is not self-defence, colleagues. This is the destruction of innocent human beings. If Europe truly believes in a rules-based international order, then words are not enough. We must act. High Representative, it's time for targeted EU sanctions on government officials responsible, on those blocking aid, on those fuelling illegal settlements. We need to suspend our Agreement with Israel now and stop Israeli imports to Europe. The people of Gaza need our action to survive. We must draw the red line here. Draw the red line, colleagues.

Madam President, before I start, please stop the clock. I really need that we verify if he said 'Heil'. I really think so. We cannot continue with somebody here on the tribune saying 'Heil'. We cannot speak – we can only look at the computer. Please do that. It will take 10 seconds and then we'll know.

Mr President, thank you for leading this emotionally charged debate with a strong Belgian hand. You can feel the charge here. In that context, the Council decided yesterday – I have to breathe – that it is going to ‘investigate’ whether Israel is violating human rights. Even Donald Trump has admitted that the suffering of Palestinian children and babies touches him. What does our Council do? He wonders: ‘Has this really happened?’ ‘Is it bad enough to suspend the treaty with Israel?’ It is almost spreading fake news. It is actually the unanimity that leads to absurdity and inhumanity. Israel now even shoots at European, Belgian diplomats. If we let that pass, we've lost all authority. Colleagues, it is high time to step up the pressure. Increased pressure on Hamas: All hostages must be free today. Raising pressure on Netanyahu to stop his atrocities and allow not five but 500 trucks a day. I call for an immediate and effective suspension of the Association Agreement with Israel.

Madam President, good morning colleagues. It strikes me as odd that nobody has mentioned the deal Ukraine made with the US – how Trump has really bullied Ukraine into signing away a big part of their rare minerals. This also affects us and our ability to support Ukraine in the long run enormously, colleagues. Let's not forget that we signed a partnership with Ukraine back in 2021. That deal included rare earths and critical minerals. But what happened? Nothing. It stayed on paper. While we in Europe write policy papers, Trump is creating facts. So I have one simple question for you: what is our strategy in this? What is Europe going to do now to get its foot back into the door? We are talking about European minerals on European soil – soon to be European soil, EU soil. Where is the plan to make sure Europe and Ukraine extract those rare resources together? If you want to have real strategic autonomy, we have to do that now.

Mr President, this debate could not have come at a better time, because this week we are commemorating the end of the Second World War eighty years ago. In those eighty years, Europe has become insanely richer. A project of 450 million free Europeans is an unprecedented tour de force. Only we have forgotten to defend that Europe. We outsourced that to the Americans. Today, Europeans are rightly concerned and even afraid. After all, everyone knows that we are not up to a Trump who threatens violence against Greenland or Denmark and a Putin who has invaded almost all of his neighbours. Therefore, the next seven years should be my priority: safety, safety and security. That means investing in the European defence industry, strengthening the European Security Council and setting up a European army. And frankly, colleagues, who today claim that this is not feasible, have not understood it. There is more leadership in every European's small toe than in some leaders who are still holding back a more united Europe. Without security, there is no prosperity. If you let the Commission talk two minutes longer, we can also take some seconds longer, because this House is the House of the parliamentarians. Thank you very much.

Mr President, I have followed the debate this morning and I see a very clear line. This is not a technical debate. We don't want to escalate. I understood that very well. But we also don't want to mess with us. We need to be very clear about the bully. We have to stick to our best offer: a zero rate on both sides. Let President Trump tell us when he's ready to negotiate. In the meantime, we will conclude agreements with Canada, Japan and other countries. We will conclude agreements on trade tariffs that will benefit both parties, not worse. I think this should be the line. Europe is willing to do a lot, but we are not stupid: We want to protect our citizens and businesses.

Madam President, colleagues, I would like to make this point of order, because 25 April marked the ninth anniversary since Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmad Reza Djalali was arrested in Iran. In October 2017, he was sentenced to death after a grossly unfair trial. He is currently, colleagues, the longest standing EU citizen held hostage by the Iranian authorities, and as a consequence of years in prison, malnutrition, not being given the medical care he needed and torture, his situation is really serious. He said in a video: 'I am at my breaking point'. So, colleagues, on this heartbreaking anniversary, I call on you, Madam President, and all my colleagues to take action and repeat our call: we ask for the immediate and unconditional release of Professor Djalali, just like we voted for here in this House.

Madam President, colleagues, Cyprus remains a political scar on Europe – a split island, a split capital and families torn apart. We cannot just sit here and accept it. Decades of talks, studies and debates have dragged on, but the solution has not changed – stick to the UN plan and EU values. What is missing now, colleagues, is political will. We need the political courage. Turkish leadership needs to step up, change its approach and allow real talks. Ankara must engage. Our vision, colleagues, our stance is solid and clear. Even if the acquis communautaire is suspended in the northern part, the whole of Cyprus is part of our Union. We must renew the efforts. We must keep on pushing for a deal that brings peace and benefits for all Cypriots and for the wider world. Let's get it done, colleagues.

Madam President, what can we say in a minute about a conflict that has lasted for thirty years? First of all, I would like to express my condolences to all Congolese families. We are at your side. Let's talk about numbers: more than 10 million dead, nearly 7 million displaced, more than 2 million women raped and more than 200 mass graves. The situation is horrific. It is not just about religion. This war concerns critical raw materials stolen by the M23, which Rwanda supports. The Commission must act now, and, dear Mrs Kallas, I have heard nothing about Rwanda. I want you to sanction Rwanda! Suspend the memorandum right away as well as financial support to Rwanda! Implement the sanctions! Victims have been waiting 15 years for justice after the UN Mapping Report. Create a humanitarian corridor today to provide the necessary assistance to women and children! Time to act! Amani! Amani! Amani! For those who do not understand Swahili, it means ‘peace’ – Vrede 's. That is my daughter’s name. My daughter’s name is Amani – ‘peace’.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Madam High Representative, last week saw yet another low point in the horror called Gaza. A mass grave with humanitarian staff of the Red Cross. Let me express my support and condolences to the families of these aid workers. That you can be so cowardly as to kill people who are there to help. It's incomprehensible! To me, it's clear: These are war crimes. Mrs Kallas, we now need a united European approach. Orbán just received Netanyahu, who is under an international arrest warrant, and Europe remains deafeningly silent. That is why I ask again to increase the pressure. Please demand that Hungary respect international law and finally use Article 7 against Orbán, as Merz asks. Make sure both sides respect an armistice. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Humanitarian aid must now enter Gaza.

Mr President, colleagues, High Representative, all the fires in the world have one thing in common: Europe is not at the table when we talk about peace. Europe does not participate, not in Ukraine, not in the Middle East. What the European foreign machine needs now is a geopolitical engine. What's that engine supposed to look like? Well, three things: First of all, we need to take our foot off the brake pedal. Discard the unanimity rule. Secondly: Create that single defence market. Compulsory people to invest in European goods, separate from America. Thirdly: integrate our European diplomacy into that European defence, so that our soft power is based on credible deterrence. The debate on what our European foreign policy needs is not about issues, nor about rules. It should be about the system, about resolving the system errors that reward vetoes and prevent action. Actually, it's very simple. In the 1990s, we created a single market for goods, people and services. Let us also create a single security and defence policy in Europe today.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, it is yet another week that Europe is looking at the Trump light box like a rabbit. My message to the Council and the Commission is therefore clear and clear: Look away from that American light box! Work towards an accelerated decoupling of America. Build on our own European strengths, because we sometimes risk forgetting them in all the pessimism. We have huge potential at home. Use our European industry as a springboard to that European army. Require those national armies to buy European. Make the digital euro work so that we are not financially dependent on American companies such as Visa and Mastercard. Please let Trump do what he thinks he should do. Let Trump shoot himself in the foot. We, for our part, must accelerate the European pace by supporting our entrepreneurs. Let's press that pause button tomorrow with conviction for as long as it takes. Every resurrection begins with faith in one's own abilities, with confidence in Europe.

Mr President, Minister, Commissioner, in the first 100 days, we can indeed say that Europe has been well off the ground. But frankly, if the Commission moves forward by 100 kilometres per hour, then world politics will move forward by 200 kilometres per hour. As far as I'm concerned, Trump and Putin have once again taken a lead. What interests me most now is the next 100 days. I am going to call on the Council, the Commission and ourselves to do so. Let's increase the pace. Two very clear things: Speed up and be radical enough in the choices we make. Radical in four areas: 1) Complete the internal market, throw it open. No more brakes. (2) Deregulation. Fewer rules, more freedom for entrepreneurs. 3) Radically go for that roadmap, for that European defence and that European army. 4) Radical pro-Europe. Turn away from the extreme right, which will destroy Europe at all times. Focus on those who want to move forward. And please, stop Orbán from blackmailing us.