Speeches

Dear Chair, Colleagues! It has been 20 years since the countries that suffered from the Communist regime imposed by the USSR joined the European Union, but the understanding of the history of Europe in the 20th century is still unified. Unbelievable, but events are taking place in the European Parliament using the symbols of the communist regime. I can imagine what a creep would be if a poster with a Swastic and a portrait of Hitler appeared in our corridors. But Lenin with a sickle and a hammer, it turns out, is the inner thing of the left group. This is totally unacceptable. We must ban the symbolism of the two totalitarian regimes in Europe. The most tragic proof of the fact that historical facts should not be manipulated is Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. I would like to remind you that 3,954 days or more than 10 years have passed since the beginning of the war. Russia's aggressive revanchism can only be brought to an end by its defeat in the unjust war against Ukraine. The US Congress has just adopted Crucial Communism Teaching Act. It aims to build societal resilience against hostile ideologies and promote research. Unfortunately, Europe still has a long way to go to deepen its understanding of the complex history of the 20th century. The anti-humanist ideology of communism must be taught at school, it must be studied more intensively in order to build immunity against the manipulation of historical facts.

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, What happened in the presidential elections in Romania is no surprise. In its previous mandate, the INGE Committee’s reports warned against such a scenario. Putin's candidate victory was achieved through direct interference by the aggressor state in the elections, injecting millions of dollars into the campaign to fund influencers, manipulating the algorithms of social media platforms and falsifying accounts. Let's not be naïve! The first attempt was in Moldova, where this scenario did not work. However, the Kremlin will improve this and repeat it in every future election in a country of the European Union. We must seriously prepare for such attacks, consistently hold e-platforms, including TikTok, accountable for the illegal funding of political campaigns. The Digital Service Act provides for fines, but for the time being, those who engage in these illegal activities are not sanctioned. This is a loophole in the law that needs to be rectified. It is equally important to neutralise the root of the evil, so we must persevere in weakening the Kremlin, both by supporting Ukraine and by imposing suffocating economic sanctions on it until Putin's regime collapses. Democracy is not self-evident, it is our duty to protect it from hostile attacks.

Madam President, thank you very much. Dear colleagues, 600 shadow fleet tankers export 70% of Russian oil, injecting 12 billion dollars into the war budget every month. The shadow fleet has doubled this year. These tankers are uninsured and their personnel are poorly trained. They are dangerously worn out, as the average age of ships is 20 years. In fact, these are ecological time bombs that threaten the world's waters with oil spills. For Latvia and the other Baltic Sea countries, Russia's shadow fleet is a direct hybrid threat. Sanctions against shipowners, who often change in the same way as their home countries, work poorly. However, each ship has a registration number. Already the first dozen ships listed by the European Union, the United States and the United Kingdom show that the amount of oil transported is decreasing. So far, the European Union has sanctioned 27 vessels. This is not enough, hundreds of vessels of the shadow fleet should be included in the lists. Allies must put more pressure on international facilitators of Putin's war, countries and companies that are enriched as intermediaries when exporting dual-use goods to Russia. Without significantly reducing the Kremlin's chances of continuing the war, we are pushing back Ukraine's victory.

Mr President, Commissioner, Dear colleagues, What else can be said about the army of the Russian fascist regime? Is there any cruel crime that Putin's war crowds would not have committed against prisoners of war? The daily practice is to imprison prisoners with criminals, starve masses, prevent communication with loved ones. But there are more horrific crimes. You can cut the prisoner's head off and boast of it in social networks. Or burn live soldiers of the Azov unit. You can strip naked prisoners of war and shoot, rape, torture and kill. If Putin believes that it will be able to intimidate Ukrainians, then in vain. We know how brave the Ukrainian people are. The systematic killing of Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russian troops is a war crime and a demonstrative violation of international law. We know bends, their commanders and regime propagandists who glorify and encourage these atrocities. They will all have to stand trial. Ukraine must win. We therefore call for the lifting of restrictions preventing Ukrainians from using long-range radius missiles to destroy military objects on Russian territory. Russia must be defeated so that its imperialism does not threaten our future.

Mr President, Colleagues! The upcoming presidential elections and referendum on EU membership on 20 October are a crucial milestone in Moldova's European integration. Russia is therefore targeting Moldova’s mafia-style campaign of voter bribery, massive disinformation and attempted destabilisation of society. In the last month alone, Russia has injected more than 15 million dollars into the bank accounts of 130,000 Moldovan citizens. In parallel, cyber-attacks on vital national systems are taking place. The campaign is an unconcealed attack on Moldova's democracy and state institutions. In fact, it is an attack on Moldova's European future. Moldova therefore has the right to defend itself both by closing propaganda outlets and by preventing candidates from illegally funded parties from competing in the presidential elections. In the time remaining before the referendum, the EU must step up all assistance to Moldova in the fight against hybrid threats, cyber-attacks and disinformation. We have a range of instruments at our disposal for this: the European Peace Facility, the reinforcement of sanctions, as well as the cooperation programmes of the Partnership Mission. Moldova’s place is in the European Union. History will not forgive us if we are not able to stop the malicious activities and hybrid operations of Russia and its local assistants.

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, The Belarusian regime is a co-aggressor of Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. With the permission of Lukashenka, Russian troops are using the territory of Belarus for missile launches, ground attacks and logistics. With the blessing of Belarusian customs, Russia is supplied with sanctioned European goods. Just as Putin Lukashenka arbitrarily arrests and imprisons political opponents, suppresses any manifestations of civic protest and freedoms, and persecutes the free press. More than 1,400 political prisoners are smiling in the prisons of the dictator. Many are deprived of communication with family members, are exposed to isolation, violence and torture, do not receive adequate medical assistance. The European Parliament demands the immediate admission of the Red Cross to political prisoners, especially Maria Kalesnikava and Andrzej Pachobut, whose state of health is critical. The European Union and its Member States need to expand and strengthen sanctions against those responsible for and complicit in the regime’s repression of its people, as well as those responsible for directly supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in Belarus. All financial and economic sanctions against Russia must also target Belarus. Like Russia, Belarus deserves political and diplomatic isolation. Finally, I call on the international community to remember, in the next round of talks with the Kremlin on the exchange of Western and Russian political prisoners against Putin's murderers and spies, that freedom fighters in Belarusian prisons, who deserve to be released, are also smiling.

Dear Chair, Dear colleagues, Destroyers and drones are airborne from distant Russian landfills every day. The Kremlin is sending them to Ukraine to undermine energy infrastructure and kill citizens there. We know that Ukrainians are waiting for the second winter without heat and light. But we are not doing enough to prevent drone and missile strikes. Ukrainians are forced to fight with a hand tied on their backs, as they are still not allowed to use long-range shells supplied by allies to destroy airfields and bombers while they are on the ground in Russia. I am saddened by the fact that the leaders of the allied countries base their ban on fear of escalation. Putin really has to be glad that his threatening bluffs find hearing ears in Washington and elsewhere. Is it really necessary to explain from this tribune over and over again that, hesitating to give permission to destroy military objects in Russia, we play Putin's game. Meanwhile, the Russian military industry works 24 hours without interruption and employs millions. Our hesitation is not a strategy of victory. The strategy for victory is to act decisively and boldly. Just like the heroic Ukrainian people do.

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Enlargement and the necessary reforms of the European institutions and funding system must not be delayed. At the end of this decade, the Union must be ready to integrate 10 countries. We need to increase the Union's decision-making power by expanding the areas in which decisions are to be taken by qualified majority voting. The unanimity principle should also be abandoned for the opening and closing of chapters in enlargement negotiations. Enlargement will be a huge financial challenge for cohesion and agricultural policy. The next multiannual budget must therefore provide adequate funding both for the reforms of the candidate countries and their gradual involvement in the policies of the European Union, and for the financing of new Member States. Similarly, the progress reports of candidate countries must reflect the functioning of the rule of law and the accession to the common foreign and security policy of the European Union. The leaders of the Member States must be aware that enlargement is a matter of European competitiveness and security, in order to prevent a threatening increase in the influence of Russia and other dictatorships in our neighbourhood. We must not repeat the mistake of leaving the Western Balkan countries outside for a long time because of a lack of political will.

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Finally, the US Congress has supported $61 billion in compensation for Ukraine. However, the damage caused by Russia already amounts to eight times more and is increasing as the destruction of Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure continues systematically. There are currently 300 billion Russian assets frozen in Europe. They must be expropriated and handed over to Ukraine, but the European Union is hesitant to take this decision. I and many do not understand the disclaimers that it would be a dangerous legal precedent to follow the Kremlin's backlash and so on. Since the beginning of the war, the counter-impact has actually been happening. Russia is immediately unlawfully expropriating and appropriating European companies and investments that have been invested in its economy for decades. Russia’s aggression is a gross violation of international law, which lifts state immunity and inviolability for these investments. In addition, there is nothing to cherish the illusion that after the victory of Ukraine, Russia will pay reparations. As history shows, Imperial Russia does not do this. Therefore, we must not hide behind legal reservations. Europe must act fairly and correctly. The frozen Russian assets must be seized and handed over to Ukraine to win this war and rebuild the devastated country.

Dear colleagues, After the inauguration of Zhdanok’s cooperation with the Russian special service, it was clear that she was not the only one working for the Kremlin in Parliament. Corruption has recently been confirmed by the Czech and German security authorities. We must be aware that the Russian network of influencers in Europe is extensive and toxic. It has been inherited from the Soviet Union and successfully developed by the Kremlin, which has also entangled political elites – Schröder, Liponen, Fijona, MPs and local leaders of various scales. Over the next five years, MEPs will be tasked with taking decisions on strengthening European defence capabilities and developing the military industry. Also laws aimed at preventing the strategic dependence of the European Union on supply chains in third countries. These are decisions that we need to guard against the influence of foreign agents and the risks they pose. Since the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the institutions of the European Union have been exposed to an increasing number of broad-spectrum hybrid tasks, and our vulnerability to Russian agents is shocking. We therefore urgently need to strengthen the European Parliament's internal security system by developing and implementing a system of information tolerances which, like national parliaments, would guarantee that, in a hybrid warfare, security issues of particular importance to the Union are dealt with by those Members who meet the highest criteria for the right to handle sensitive information. This agreement will not be an easy task, but it is achievable if there is political will.

Mr President, I’m more precise because the president of the committee asked for the negotiations with the Council. We still need to go back to the committee.

Mr President, I would like to strengthen what the Chair of the INTA Committee said and to request the matter of the amendments to be referred back to the committee pursuant to the Rule 59(4).

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Commissioner, I have to say that I cannot agree with the Commission's position on imports of agricultural products from Russia. In 2023, EU Member States imported €2.2 billion in food and agricultural goods from Russia. This represents a 10% increase compared to the previous year. We need to be aware that by importing, we are increasing the budget revenue of the aggressor state and helping to finance the war in Ukraine. We also need to be aware that Russia is conducting an active hybrid information warfare, investing hundreds of millions of euros in it. The aim is to destabilise our democracies and societies, both by supporting extremism and by generating frustration and mass unrest. Russian propaganda is intensifying the use of incidents during the farmers' protests to disrupt relations between the countries of the European Union and Ukraine and negatively affect Ukraine's image in the West. Russia has managed to create the impression that the market turbulence is due to Ukrainian agricultural products. The statistics, however, confirm that it is precisely because of the large volume of grain and corn exported from Russia that prices in the market are falling and losses are incurred by our farmers. Russia, with the support of Belarus, continues its bloody war in Ukraine. As a result of pressure from public opinion, the Latvian government decided to suspend imports of agricultural and feed products from Russia and Belarus. It is time to ban the import of agricultural products from Russia and Belarus across the European Union. Those who claim that such a ban would cost too much must understand that the longer Putin will be able to finance his aggression, the more expensive we will pay later.

Dear Chair, Nine months ago, Commissioner, the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of my report on foreign interference in the democratic processes of the European Union, calling for long-term funding in the European Union budget to combat the massive Russian disinformation campaigns with which Russia is conducting a hybrid information warfare in the European Union, both fighting for the minds of Europeans and dividing society. This war has been going on for years and the Kremlin has invested several billion euros in it. Preventing these hybrid attacks and investing in societal resilience is a matter of national and continental security. What has been the real level of European Union funding to achieve this strategic objective, and will the necessary funding be provided for when planning the next multiannual budget of the European Union?

Dear Madam President, Colleagues, It was a mistake to promise the Western Balkan countries a future for the European Union in 2003 and then to hesitate. This mistake must not be repeated with Ukraine and Moldova, so the report on the deepening and enlargement of EU integration is a document of strategic importance. Parliament is the first EU institution to put forward its position on the necessary reforms for the European Union to be ready to integrate ten countries at the end of this decade. We need to increase the Union's decision-making power by extending the areas in which the decision is taken by qualified majority voting. The principle of unanimity should also be abandoned when it comes to opening and closing enlargement negotiations. Enlargement will be a huge financial challenge for cohesion and agricultural policies. The next multiannual budget must therefore provide adequate funding to enable the Union to finance both the reforms of the candidate countries and their involvement in the policies of the European Union.

Dear Chair, Colleagues, Navalny was a heroic man, but his death should not remain only at the level of sadness and remembrance speeches. We must weaken Putin's regime, both by sanctioning the corrupt articles revealed by the Navalny Foundation and by supporting the Russian opposition, independent journalists, human rights fighters, dissidents and demanding the release of political prisoners. After the fake elections, Europe must not recognise Putin as a legitimately elected president. However, the decisive battle for the defeat of Putin's regime is taking place in Ukraine, as the loss of the war will destroy the regime. Therefore, the European Union and NATO must stop pulling red lines and fear an escalation of the war and support Ukraine with the most advanced weapons. Russia has never attacked a stronger opponent and we are stronger. We need to act decisively and swiftly. We must not hesitate to repeat the historical mistakes that led to World War II.

Dear Chair, Colleagues, The Group of the European People’s Party has consistently supported the creation of a EUR 50 billion Ukraine Financial Instrument, which will support Ukraine during the war, its reconstruction and the implementation of EU accession reforms between 2024 and 2027. The trilogue agreement paves the way for the use of frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine. This instrument is intended for administrative and civil purposes. It does not provide for the military assistance that Ukraine needs now. Therefore, the hesitation of the US Congress with its 60 billion-billion-military support is jeopardising Ukraine’s fighting capabilities. This year, Russia is planning to spend almost a third of its budget on military needs. If every European Union and NATO country devoted 0.25% of its GDP to support Ukraine, then Russia would lose the war. Ukraine is also fighting for the future of Europe. Citing Mikhail Podolaka, Advisor to the President of Ukraine, who said: “It is not clear why European leaders are preparing for war with Russia in the future, but are not helping Ukraine to defeat Russia now.”

Dear colleagues, The confirmation that Ždanoka is an agent of the Russian security services in Latvia was no surprise. Much more worrying is the fact that she is not the only one to implement unhindered Russian interference policies in Strasbourg and Brussels, including in the capitals, with the aim of entrenching the unity of our societies, sowing hatred and creating disbelief in European values, as well as promoting populism and extremism. The resolution on which we will vote on Thursday gives just a few examples, but the reality is much more harsh. The Russian network of influencers in Europe is extensive and toxic. It has been inherited from the Soviet Union and successfully developed by the Kremlin, which has also entangled the political elites of the European Union – Schröder, Liponen, Fijona, etc., Members of the European Parliament and local leaders of various scales and cultural stars. In this latest Russiagate shocking in the story is our naivety and vulnerability to Russian agents acting through the democratic values of freedom of expression, respect for diversity of opinion and tolerance, as well as gaps in our legislation. It is shocking that, in their disruptive activities, these agents notice the use of European Union funding, resources and platform. Since Russia launched its aggression in Ukraine, the European Union has been subject to an increasing number of hybrid attacks of a wide spectrum. Therefore, the presence of such foreign agents in the European Parliament and other institutions of our democracies poses significant risks to our security and creativity. I call on the European Parliament to investigate immediately and thoroughly the cases in which Members have used their mandate to support the aggressor state and to apply decisively all means to prevent such activities in the future. Our resources must not be used to undermine the values of the European Union and push authoritarian regimes.

Dear colleagues, I'll be harsh. Hungary and the US Republicans must take responsibility for delaying financial and military assistance to Ukraine. This is urgently needed for Ukraine to resist Russian aggression and win the war. It is needed now. Putin is using this weakness of Ukraine’s allies, political will and determination to deplete Ukraine’s ammunition stockpiles and destroy air defence systems through intense missile and drone attacks. This is how Putin shows his determination to continue his war of aggression. Therefore, our talks about the ceasefire and compromises with Russia have no coverage of reality. We must stop chanting to support Ukraine “as long as it takes’. We must make it clear that we will support Ukraine until the victory over Russian imperialism is complete. There is no alternative to peace.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, colleagues. Russia plans to increase its military budget by almost 70 percent in 2024. The sanctions are working, yes, but it is necessary to close the holes through which Russia continues to export energy resources, earning EUR 690 million per day. Unfortunately, the European Union is one of the largest customers of energy resources, adding two billion to Russia's budget every month. European Union politicians need to make sanctions more effective in reducing Russia's energy revenues that finance the war in Ukraine. It is therefore necessary to lower the oil price cap from the current $60 to $30 per barrel. It is also necessary to impose an embargo on imports of Russian liquefied natural gas and on imports of fuels produced in third countries using Russian oil. Finally, it is necessary to restrict the sale of European tankers, their servicing and insurance services when used for Russian oil exports.

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues. Ukraine's place is in Europe. Their heroic Ukrainian people are now showing their blood and the price of life for the second year, so the decision to start negotiations on membership of the European Union must be taken this year. Negotiations need to start next year so that Ukraine can be admitted to the Union by the end of this decade. The Group of the European People's Party supports the creation of a financial instrument for Ukraine of 50 billion, which for the period 2024-2027 provides support to Ukraine during the war, its reconstruction and the implementation of the necessary reforms for the accession of the European Union. This instrument needs to be agreed as soon as possible so that it can be considered together with next year's budget. Therefore, there is an urgent need to amend the 2021-2027 Multiannual Budget Regulation of the European Union. This requires a unanimous vote in the Council of Europe in the coming months. It is crucial to ensure continued support for Ukraine from next year. The 50 billion instrument must neither include interest payments on loans nor inject external revenues generated by the opening of Russian frozen assets. It is important for this instrument to operate in a flexible manner and for procedures to allow rapid decisions to be taken on the necessary payments in full transparency.

Madam President, Commissioner, Dear colleagues, Three years ago, more than 100 000 people in Minsk protested against stolen presidential elections. The Lukashenka regime ruthlessly met with protesters. More than 1 500 political prisoners are currently being smoked in prisons, with 300,000 leaving the country. The Lukashenka regime is a threat to European security. Russia's tactical nuclear weapons are deployed in Belarus Wagner mercenaries, Russian army units are being trained for warfare in Ukraine, more than 2,000 illegally displaced Ukrainian children are being accommodated. In fact, the regime has become a co-aggressor of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. Against the European Union, the regime systematically organises the crossing of the Latvian-Lithuanian-Polish border, trying to influx thousands of irregular migrants into Europe. I call on the International Criminal Court to issue a Lukashenka arrest warrant, as well as to extend the list of European Union sanctions to those responsible for the illegal detention of Ukrainian children in forced camps in Belarus. Lukashenka has banned the renewal of passports for Belarusian citizens abroad, as well as requested the re-registration of political parties. It is an attempt to destroy any democratic opposition by forcing its representatives to return to Belarus. The European Union must do everything necessary to cooperate with the Belarusian opposition and safeguard its activities in political exile.

Mr President, Commissioner, Dear colleagues, The NATO Summit, Ukraine's counter-attack and growing instability in Russia are indeed at a crucial juncture in European security. The news that Sweden joins NATO is great news! Now the Baltic Sea has become a safe internal sea of NATO! However, as regards Ukraine's accession to NATO, the decisions of the Vilnius Summit are too vague. They do not mark a clear path and time frame when Ukraine will become a member of the alliance. We need to ask ourselves not only what we need to do for Ukraine, but also what Ukraine can and is already doing to defend the eastern flank of Europe. Here it is necessary to recall the words of the Prime Minister of Latvia Krišjānis Kariņš that, and I quote: “Today we train Ukrainians, but tomorrow they will train us, as they alone will have a battle experience with Russia”. We need to be aware of the scale of the Russian threat and understand that Europe has only one safe path to peace and stability – we must not leave Ukraine in the grey zone. Ukraine must be in the European Union and NATO. Unfortunately, the long-standing warnings from the Baltic States and Poland about Russia's aggressiveness were not heard. I very much hope that this mistake will not be repeated again, fooling and hesitating the decisions on Ukraine that need to be taken now.

Mr President, Commissioner, Dear colleagues, The bombing of the Kakhovka Dam is a terrible war crime that Russia has committed. But you know what's the most terrible? The fact that, following the massive humanitarian and ecological disaster caused by this crime, there are deputies in the Russian Duma who, speaking in Moscow propaganda programmes, also call for the bombing of the Kyiv dam and the rinsing of Ukraine's final city from the ground surface. This is the inhumane level of hatred that prevails in Russia and makes this atomic weapon state a threat to humanity. Those naive people who believed at the beginning of the war that it was Putin's war, and not the Russian people's war, must finally understand that it is the war of the Russian majority and peace is possible only after the victory of Ukraine. Ukraine's place is in the European Union and NATO. At the Vilnius Summit, Ukraine must receive a clear plan on how and when it will become a member of the Alliance. Ukraine has launched a counter-attack, but the attack without sufficient military aviation coverage puts the Ukrainian army on unequal battlefields. Therefore, we must do everything possible and impossible so that Ukraine receives destroyers as soon as possible, which would give the land forces sufficient air force coverage.

Madam President, dear colleagues, Madam Commissioner, I want to thank you for this very detailed discussion we had here. But even during that discussion, it was so evident how the tentacles of disinformation are reaching the politicians from the far right and from the far left. This is very regrettable and that’s why we are working, trying to find the ways to protect our democracy. What I would like to reiterate is that the EU must focus more on resilience—building and vaccination of our societies against disinformation to protect our democracy. It has been a long journey for us all, but I am confident that our Parliament and our Union has come out stronger and more aware of the threats we face and the vulnerabilities we have. So I am looking forward to the vote and hope that you all will be able to support the report, which is not only mine, but a collective endeavour.