Intervention in the plenary session on the situation on the Ukrainian border and in the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russia
Bernard Guetta (Renew). – Madam President, dear colleagues, I am not going to go back over what so many of you have already said, well said and rightly said, about Russian military posturing on the border with Ukraine.
Instead, I would like to draw your attention to the negotiations that are being sought between the Atlantic Alliance and Russia. A negotiation is being sought between the Alliance and Russia. So if this negotiation, or even these negotiations open, what would we have to say to Mr Putin? Well, we would have to say to him: you have security concerns? Yes, perhaps, very well, but we do too and we have them because it was you who annexed Crimea. Because it was you who brought the war to Eastern Ukraine. Because it was you who de facto annexed two parts of Georgia. Because it is you who is sowing instability on the continent of Europe.
So Mr Putin, you want to talk about security guarantees? Fine, let’s talk about them. But what guarantees of non-aggression and non-interference in their internal affairs are you offering to your immediate neighbours such as Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus, Mr Putin, Belarus? So yes, these negotiations are going to open. So much the better, we should welcome them. But let us remember the terms and let us remind Mr Putin of them.
