What Riho spoke about.

27

Nov

2024

EN Speech

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Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, never before and suddenly twice a year. Is that an accident? I am referring to the destruction of the fibre optic data cables in the Baltic Sea. First, between Estonia and Finland, and between Germany and Finland most recently. This is exactly how the authoritarian regimes wage a covert war against our societies. By disrupting communication lines and attacking our…

22

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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Establishing the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism and providing exceptional macro-financial assistance to Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, Russia has waged this full-scale war against Ukraine for almost 1 000 days by now. Ukraine people are making sacrifices far bigger than we can imagine every day. It is in our hands to help Ukraine win this war. They need our military aid, as well as financial support, to reconstruct the infrastructure and keep the economy going, despite the ongoing war. Using windfal…

8

Oct

2024

EN Speech

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The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, the situation with regard to democracy in Georgia has been deteriorating for more than a decade now. In the early years of the Ivanishvili Government, he and his subordinates declared the continuation of the Euro-Atlantic path and democratic reforms. We have hosted numerous delegations of our Georgian colleagues from the opposition in this House and they have warned us fr…

17

Sep

2024

EN Speech

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Continued financial and military support to Ukraine by EU Member States (debate)

Madam President, today we are discussing the support that Ukraine needs from the European Union – the support that is meant to keep Ukraine on par in this war of attrition against a much larger enemy. Let us be very clear: Russia is waging this war not only against Ukraine. Putin is at war with the West, according to his own words. He wants to rearrange the whole European security architecture. Th…

25

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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Statements by the President

Madam President, dear colleagues, as a former member of the Military Committee of the European Union and NATO, I urge you to take the Russian military threat against Europe seriously. Not only in words, but in real deeds. We need to show strength, invest in the military capabilities. Otherwise, we will have war in the European soil during the next parliamentary session.…

23

Apr

2024

EN Speech

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The use of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine’s victory and reconstruction (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, the use of profits currently generated from the frozen assets is a step in the right direction. But we must be more ambitious and use the assets themselves to compensate Ukraine for war damage caused by Russia. Estonia is already working on a draft law to this end, and the EU as a whole should do the same. Frozen Russian assets should be liquidated, and the result…

28

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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European Digital Identity framework (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, digitalisation has been one of the two main priorities announced by President von der Leyen in the beginning of this mandate. This regulation is the flagship of European digitalisation. All European citizens will have access to a highly secure digital identity. There will be a legally binding digital signature recognised throughout the European Union. Thi…

6

Feb

2024

ET Speech

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Russiagate: allegations of Russian interference in the democratic processes of the European Union (debate)

Dear Mr President, Russia's influence in Europe and the West in general is not news to anyone. The Russian special services are very interested in what is happening in the European Union and they are always looking for ways to influence different processes, to break the unity of the European Union. One of the main channels of influence is Russian communities in different European countries. Politi…

6

Feb

2024

EN Speech

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The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, not a day goes by without Russia causing death and pain all across Ukraine. After two years of full-scale war on European soil, Europe has moved very slowly from an ignorant state of mind to a state of alert. I believe it has been a very costly lesson. The Council decision regarding the EUR 50 billion aid package last week was a much- appreciated lifeline for Ukraine, but…

16

Jan

2024

EN Speech

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Keeping commitments and delivering military assistance to Ukraine (debate)

Mr President, I had a discussion with President Zelenskyy last week in Tallinn, and his question was how could Europe keep their promises? One million shells is the promise Europe gave to Ukraine, and we are not able to fulfil that. What are the Commission’s and Council’s steps to achieving this one million rounds up to March? That’s my first question. And second, is it possible to go to the Counc…

13

Dec

2023

EN Speech

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European Defence investment programme (EDIP) (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, Russian aggression against Ukraine began almost 10 years ago. The last 22 months of full-scale war have demonstrated very painfully the lessons about our weaknesses and challenges. One thing is very clear: Europe has enjoyed the privilege of the peace dividend for too long. This has resulted in the serious gaps across the whole spectrum of the armament and ammunit…

21

Nov

2023

ET Speech

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Sustainable use of plant protection products (debate)

Thank you, Madam Vice President. I'm sorry, but I don't understand how this law came to be in this room. This is unfair to those countries that already have minimal use of plant protection products. In Estonia, plant protection products are used in the amount of 780 grams per hectare, in the Netherlands 8 kilograms, and even if we reduce it by 50, 35 or 10 per cent, it will remain unfair to Estoni…

17

Oct

2023

EN Speech

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Effectiveness of the EU sanctions on Russia (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, from the very outset of Russian aggression against neighbouring Ukraine, the EU has posed numerous sanctions on Putin’s regime and Russia’s economic interests. With 11 packages, we have tried to cut Russia from the markets. We have made an effort to stop trading different types of strategic goods with the aggressor. Sanctions have real influence only if they are foll…

16

Oct

2023

EN Speech

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Establishing the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (‘STEP’) (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, the EU needs to clearly define technologies which are of strategic importance to Europe. But ever more importantly, we need to provide EU funding to these technologies. We need to provide these important technologies with the public funding in order not to be left behind compared to the United States or China or others. We also need to protect oursel…

16

Oct

2023

EN Speech

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Establishing the Ukraine Facility (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, Russian aggression against Ukraine has lasted not for two, but already 10 years. The full-scale attack began 600 days ago. Defenders of Ukraine have heroically confronted the Russian war machine. By defending their homeland, the Ukrainian people defend our values and our way of life that Russia is trying to demolish. Countless Ukrainian lives have been lost in this w…

9

May

2023

EN Speech

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Critical technologies for security and defence (A9-0120/2023 - Riho Terras) (vote)

Madam President, sorry colleagues, I don’t know how you feel, so I test your patience. European security has never been more fragile since the end of the Second World War. Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine is a turning point in the history of our continent. There is no other way for Europe than to be prepared, both mentally and physically, to defend its people, economy, our way of life. This…

19

Apr

2023

EN Speech

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Children forcibly deported from Ukraine and the ICC arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin (debate)

Mr President, Madam Vice-President, dear colleagues, the tragedy that Russia’s war against Ukraine has brought along, comes in very different forms. We all have witnessed the unspeakable level of violence that Russia has used against the peaceful citizens of Ukraine. In addition to the killings, torture and targeting the civilian population, Russia has used the deportation of Ukrainian children as…

14

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Situation in Georgia (debate)

Mr President, over the last days, we have witnessed a strong sense of protest among Georgian people against the so-called foreign agents law. Yes, we do know that the ruling Georgian team decided to pull back this draft of law, but it remains very clear that the intent of this legislative act was to silence opposition and media. The Georgian Government, controlled by the oligarchy Ivanishvili, has…

2

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Preparation of the EU-Ukraine Summit (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, Ukraine has fought bravely against Russia for almost nine years. The full—scale attack that Russia launched in February last year is a clear sign that Putin’s regime goal is to destroy Western way of life. Our task is to help Ukraine as much as they need today. Ukraine needs more weapons and Ukraine needs a plan for recovery. The EU—Ukraine summit must give Ukrain…

17

Jan

2023

EN Speech

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Implementation of the common foreign and security policy - annual report 2022 - Implementation of the common security and defence policy - annual report 2022 (debate)

Mr President, today the union’s Common Security and Defence Policy is very much defined by how we help Ukraine to win the war. Clearly there is much more we need to do or discuss under the banner of the CSDP, but we face the most existential threat to Europe’s security and defence today, and this is Russia. What Ukraine needs to win the war is a question. Ukraine needs weapons and Ukraine needs mo…

15

Dec

2022

EN Speech

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The humanitarian situation in Ukraine due to Russia’s attacks against critical infrastructure and civilian areas (debate)

Mr President, dear colleagues, we have met with many friends of Ukraine this week in Strasbourg. They are all very brave people who leave their homeland and fight for their freedom every day. The people of Ukraine are at the forefront of the Western democracy. They are fighting our fight – let’s not forget that. Russia aimed for a short and victorious war 10 months ago when they launched a full—sc…

19

Oct

2022

EN Speech

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Lukashenka regime's active role in the war against Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, dear colleagues, since 24 February, when Russia launched full-scale war against Ukraine, Aleksander Lukashenko, an illegitimate leader of Belarus, has been an accomplice to Putin and Russian Federation. The Belarusian military bases are being used by Russian Federation to prepare the troops for attacking Ukraine’s cities, villages, Ukraine people. Today, Putin declared martial law…

7

Jun

2022

EN Speech

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The EU’s Foreign, Security and Defence Policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine (debate)

Madam President, Russia’s war against Ukraine has been going on for more than eight years now. The full-scale military offensive that Putin launched on 24 February has lasted more than 100 days. The lessons identified from the ongoing war must make the European Union move faster and start delivering in the security and defence field. The report that we are discussing tonight brings up many vital i…

3

May

2022

ET Speech

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Artificial intelligence in a digital age (debate)

Dear Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, Parliament’s special committee, set up last year, which analysed and proposed artificial plants [artificial intelligence] on the question, has drawn a line to his work today. I highly appreciate the initiative taken by Parliament in setting up the special committee. Artificial intelligence and the development of technology based on its use are extremely rap…

5

Apr

2022

EN Speech

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Question Time with the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy - Security and the EU's strategic compass

Vice—President, I very much appreciate that you took the decision to visit Kyiv together with President von der Leyen and I really hope that you will have more to announce than just grave concern or moral support to Ukrainian nation, which is standing up for our values today, and every day, in this very awful war. I have followed the process of the strategic compass, and I appreciate that the chan…