What Jüri spoke about.

—

ET Written Statement

The future of European competitiveness (debate)

The whole world, and Europe in particular, is in a constant and rapid turmoil of change, where traditional and long-term strategies may not be flexible or effective enough, but there is a need to find Europe-wide changes in economic policy. As a matter of concern, we are faced with the fact that Europe has the highest energy prices and is lagging behind in terms of technological breakthroughs, esp…

17

Jun

2026

ET Speech

Watch

Protecting EU citizens’ data from hybrid threats: the Lithuanian case (topical debate)

Dear President, dear colleagues, Dear Commissioner, On the eastern flank of Europe, hybrid threats have become the new normal. These attacks target our databases, our infrastructure, and ultimately our societal trust. And the cases of Lithuania are no exception. We see the same in Estonia. In recent months, for example, we have experienced repeated GPS disruptions linked to hostile activities by R…

16

Jun

2026

EN Speech

Watch

Russia’s unacceptable provocative actions and drone incursions into Romania, the Baltic states and Finland (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, Vice-President, recent drone incidents and security violations along the European Union's eastern border, from the Baltic region to Romania, are a serious warning. Russia's aggression does not stop at Ukrainian borders. It directly threatens the security of European Union Member States and NATO allies. Russia has repeatedly violated the airspace of countries on NATO'…

16

Jun

2026

ET Speech

Watch

Achieving digital sovereignty and resilience for Europe, in light of recent developments affecting access to advanced AI technologies (debate)

19

May

2026

ET Speech

Watch

Opportunities and challenges presented by a comprehensive artificial intelligence strategy for EU trade (debate)

Dear Vice-President, dear colleagues, Dear Commissioner, The report we are debating today clearly shows that artificial intelligence is becoming an important tool in the European Union's trade. This underlines the need to develop AI solutions in customs processes, risk assessment and supply chain monitoring. If we can streamline and digitalise these processes, companies in small Member States, inc…

19

May

2026

EN Speech

Watch

Europe's response to reduced US military deployments in Europe, particularly at its Eastern flank in the light of the latest US decisions (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, Vice-President of the Commission, for decades, the transatlantic alliance has been the foundation of Europe's security. The presence of the United States in Europe, especially on NATO's eastern flank, has been essential for our protection. Recent Washington decisions shows the shift in American strategic priorities. Europe must take responsibility for its own defe…

19

May

2026

EN Speech

Watch

EU cybersecurity and preparedness in view of advanced AI systems (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, dear colleagues, today we are facing a completely new reality in cybersecurity. The new AI model Mythos was considered so powerful and potentially dangerous that its developers decided not to release it publicly. What makes this especially alarming is the speed and precision with which this system can operate. AI is now capable of detecting and combining hi…

18

May

2026

ET Speech

Watch

Negative trade-related effects of global overcapacity on the Union steel market (debate)

Dear President, Dear colleagues, Commissioner, The European steel industry is under severe pressure. Global production capacity exceeds demand by hundreds of millions of tonnes and European producers have to compete with state-subsidised imports whose price does not reflect the actual cost of production. In this situation, the European Union must be able to protect its strategic industry, jobs and…

25

Mar

2026

ET Speech

Watch

Energy security, independence and supply in the geopolitical context - ensuring market stability and affordable energy for industry and citizens (debate)

Thank you very much, Mr President. Dear colleagues, Commissioner, We are talking here today about a very serious issue, energy security. It affects our families on a daily basis. This is about European companies. This is about our security of supply. But the reality is that among many Member States, as well as for my home country, Estonia, this is a completely new crisis. The situation in Esto…

11

Mar

2026

EN Speech

Watch

Building Europe's clean, independent and secure energy following the 2026 North Sea Summit (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the Hamburg Declaration aims to turn the North Sea into a clean and secure energy hub for Europe. I would like to raise an additional point: our energy must also be affordable for our people and for our businesses. Europe should not rely on only one type of energy. Offshore wind and hydrogen are important, but they cannot be the only answer. We need …

10

Mar

2026

ET Speech

Watch

Presentation of the Energy Package (debate)

Thank you very much! Dear President, Commissioner, Dear colleagues! In Estonia, this winter is a clear reminder of the importance of a functioning common electricity market. January was one of the coldest months in Estonia. Demand for electricity increased by nearly a fifth and prices reacted particularly painfully. In January, the average electricity price in Estonia increased by 70% to 154 euros…

12

Feb

2026

ET Speech

Watch

Time to address economic inequalities in the EU and worldwide (debate)

21

Jan

2026

EN Speech

Watch

Presentation of the Digital Networks Act (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, Europe's digital future depends on strong and secure networks. Without networks, there is no digital economy, no security and no competitiveness. I come from Estonia, a small country, but a digital one. We know that digital networks are not abstract infrastructure. Global competition is increasing and they are strategic assets. The Digital Networks A…

17

Dec

2025

ET Speech

Watch

The deepening democratic crisis in Georgia (debate)

Dear President, dear colleagues, Commissioner, Dear guests! We cannot remain silent as the democratic crisis in Georgia deepens. A crisis that threatens the stability of the whole region. We see the government suppressing civil society, restricting independent media and silencing the opposition. The Georgian people have repeatedly shown that their choice is Europe. They have stood on the streets a…

16

Dec

2025

ET Speech

Watch

Continuous Belarusian hybrid attacks against Lithuania (debate)

27

Nov

2025

ET Speech

Watch

Fur farming and the placing of farmed fur products on the market (debate)

Dear President, Dear colleagues! Dear Commissioner, The subject of fur farming is complex, and it is polarising. I believe that in all Member States. These discussions concern ethics, certainly animal welfare, but also socio-economic impacts, so these decisions must always be made in a thoughtful way. My home country, Estonia, decided to stop fur farming nearly five years ago, in 2021. And it was …

27

Nov

2025

EN Question

Watch

Outcome of the UN Climate Change Conference - Belém (COP30) (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, Commissioner, COP30 showed that the world's understanding of the climate transition is changing. Our goals should stay ambitious, but they also need to be realistic and fair. The deal to increase adaptation funding and strengthen climate finance up to an expected USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2035. It is a real step forward. It shows that global cooperation is still possib…

27

Nov

2025

ET Speech

Watch

Development of an industry for sustainable aviation and maritime fuel in Europe (debate)

Mr. President. I'll say hello. I welcome the new Sustainable Transport Investment Plan, which will help bring more clean and renewable fuels to aviation and maritime transport. By 2035, we will need close to 20 million tonnes of alternative fuels and around EUR 100 billion of investment will be needed to produce them. The Commission pledges to mobilise at least €89 billion until 2027. It should al…

26

Nov

2025

EN Speech

Watch

EU response to the continuous airspace violations and sabotage of critical infrastructure in the EU originating from Russia and Belarus (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the violations of European airspace and the sabotage of our critical infrastructure are no longer isolated incidents. They form a growing pattern as Russia and Belarus test Europe’s readiness, unity and resilience. We all recognise that a drone is no longer a harmless device. A single machine can disrupt an electricity line, interrupt communications …

23

Oct

2025

ET Speech

Watch

Discontinuing seasonal time change (debate)

Dear President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, In fact, I think that only one sentence would suffice and that sentence is such that it is easy to reach a decision between Member States. This means that all countries will remain in their geographical time zone and the clock changes will stop. But if a little longer, changing the clock may seem habitual and at first glance may not seem like the…

22

Oct

2025

EN Speech

Watch

Ending all energy imports from Russia to the EU and closing loopholes through third countries (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, it has now been three years and eight months since Russia launched its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. And yet, Europe still continues to import Russian energy. This is unacceptable. Stop importing all forms of energy from Russia! Every single euro paid to Moscow helps fund its war machine. Since the start of the war, EU countries have made mo…

22

Oct

2025

EN Speech

Watch

UN Climate Change Conference 2025 in Belém, Brazil (COP30) (debate)

Madam President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, in just a few weeks, world leaders will meet in Belém for COP30. This will be an important moment for global climate action. The European Union has always been a leader in setting strong climate goals, but our credibility depends on what we can truly deliver. We need to make sure that economic growth, innovation and climate responsibility can go…

21

Oct

2025

ET Speech

Watch

General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2026 – all sections (debate)

Dear President, dear Commissioner, dear colleagues, Europe needs a budget that supports economic growth, contributes to innovation and strengthens our defence capabilities. And the budget for 2026 must be a definite step forward from here. Our main priorities are clear. Firstly, strengthening the competitiveness of the European Union, because this is the foundation of our economy, which creates jo…

18

Jun

2025

ET Speech

Watch

Electricity grids: the backbone of the EU energy system (debate)

Dear President, dear colleagues, Dear Commissioner, We cannot talk about the competitiveness or energy independence of the European economy without a strong, modern and resilient energy network. If grids are the backbone of our energy system, then it must be said that this backbone is still too fragile at the moment and will not withstand the burden of the future. Electricity consumption is increa…

18

Jun

2025

ET Speech

Watch

Upcoming NATO summit on 24-26 June 2025 (debate)

Thank you very much, Mr President. Dear colleagues! High Representative Kaja! It is a pleasure to wish you good luck and strength here in Estonian. For more than ten years, Estonia has contributed two per cent to its military national defence. This has meant less money for us in healthcare, roads, living environments, but we have realised that this is the most important thing. It has guaranteed ou…