My plenary speech on the EU's Security and Defence Policy after the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Mr. President, dear colleagues, dear rapporteurs,

On February 24th, when Putin launched the war of aggression against Ukraine, the world changed – and Europe changed with it. This brutal invasion reminds us of some obvious facts:

The peace we’ve enjoyed in the EU for almost 80 years should not be taken for granted. This – for European history – unprecedented peace was fought for hard. It was earned by brave soldiers fighting the German Nazis.

Now the Ukrainians are fighting another fascist regime to make sure that people in Europe live in peace. To succeed they need a strong, reliable and resilient Europe.

The EU is more than just an economic giant. We need to learn to stand up for ourselves instead of depending mainly on our transatlantic partners. We should unite the efforts of every member state to guarantee our common security, the security of our closest partners and uphold the international rules-based order.

Thank you!