Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament . Extraordinary plenary address Four years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and European contributions to a just peace and sustained security for Ukraine
Dear Members,
Today we meet to mark four years since Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. On the 24th of February 2022, as tanks rolled across European borders and war descended on our continent, Russia thought they could take Ukraine in days – Ukrainians proved them wrong.
They keep going. Refusing to give in. Standing defiant in the face of almost unimaginable daily hardships, through the depths of gruelling winters, even as drones and missiles fall indiscriminately. That is why today, we honour the bravery of the Ukrainian people. We reaffirm our concrete support. And we recommit our efforts for a real and lasting peace.
Today we are joined remotely by President Zelenskyy again in this chamber. When I met with the President in Kyiv barely a month after the invasion, I promised him that this Parliament would support Ukraine. And four years on, thanks to your efforts, dear colleagues, we have not let Ukraine down. Because we know that when we stand together, Ukraine and Europe stand strong.
Our actions are not solely based on altruism. We act because we know what is at stake for all of us. And I am proud of what we have done together. Whether by supporting Ukrainian society by delivering 200 billion euros of support to help keep everyday life possible for millions of people. Whether it is delivering generators to keep the lights and heating on in hospitals, in schools, in bomb shelters. Whether it was supercharging Ukraine’s defence capabilities to help those on the front lines and their families at home.
And we will keep stepping up our support. Later today, we will sign into law a 90 billion euro loan to shore up essential public services and keep Ukraine’s defences strong. Sending a clear message to every Ukrainian: your security is Europe’s security. Your freedom is Europe’s freedom. And your future is in Europe. And we will keep working to make that happen.
(Foto: Metsola X)
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