Category: VERBATIM

On 24 February, as the tanks rolled over the Russo-Ukrainian border and missiles rained through the night sky, Putin declared his war of aggression against Ukraine. The days of appeasement are over, the veil was lifted. Putin came to conquer – not only Ukraine, but more broadly, also Europe. Putin has dragged the Western world into a systemic conflict between democracy and dictatorship, freedom and oppression, rule of law or rule by force.

Intervention in the plenary session in the debate on the fight against impunity for war crimes in Ukraine

Mr President, Mr Commissioner, my dear colleagues, the outburst of barbarity we are witnessing today in Ukraine is unfortunately nothing new in the 21st century. Let us remember what happened in Aleppo. Let us remember what happened in the whole of Syria ruled by an ally of Mr Putin. It was the same thing, it was the same thing.

Plenary speech in the debate on the case of Osman Kavala in Turkey

Mr Erdogan thinks he is strong. He thinks he is safe from our criticism, protests and pressure because he believes that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has made his country an ally that neither the European Union nor the United States could or should do without.

Speech in the debate on the Intensification of repression in Russia, including the case of Alexei Navalny

Mr President, my dear colleagues, I would like to quote a few sentences from a text* that was published two days ago, I believe, by the RIA Novosti agency, that is to say the most official organ of the Kremlin.

Speech in the debate on the conclusions of the European Council of 24 and 25 March 2022, including the latest developments in the war in Ukraine and the EU sanctions against Russia and their implementation

Madam President, High Representative, my dear colleagues. “Yes, yes”, a Russian opposition journalist who has taken refuge in Berlin, where he runs a website which is very, very, very popular in Russia, told me this weekend. “Yes, yes,” he said, “but what can I say to those of my compatriots who say to me: “But the Europeans, the Westerners are hostile to us, since they are taking these sanctions against us, and we are going to suffer.