Debate: Russian aggression against Ukraine
Date: TUESDAY, 1 MARCH 2022
Speaker: Ruslan Stefanchuk
Language: EN

Eight years ago, the Ukrainian people categorically said no to Russian aggression, to their attempt to change their eternal path home – to the united European Union and to the very successful process of unification that it has demonstrated over all these years.  Instead, our rights to develop and to be a democratic state that chooses its own path has been completely laid waste by a country that doesn’t respect international law or international principles, that disdains territorial integrity and sovereignty. You see the results of that today very clearly in the number of people killed and wounded. You are aware that the aggressor carried out a full-scale attack on Kharkiv. Today other cities are under constant attack. I believe that this is a crossroads in the history of Europe. Europe is now fighting against an aggressor, and it is very important how the united European community responds to this challenge of savagery and barbarism. Dear Members, I know you will be looking at a whole range of serious economic sanctions that you will adopt against the aggressor. I would like you to understand that today Ukraine is defending the border of the civilised world. If, God forbid, Ukraine falls, nobody knows where the Russian aggressor will stop. When I was in my official suit and we were working in the  Think for a moment about what will happen to Europe if the terrible Russian Empire is restored. Would the European Union be able to protect this space of freedom, which it has created over the last dozens of years? What will happen in Eastern European countries now when Russian tanks approach their borders? To what other regions will the Kremlin look after it has conquered Ukraine?  I would like to call upon you to think strategically, to support the unity of the European Union, to support Ukraine, to make it a strategic partner and – most importantly – to act. Don’t be silent. Gather all your efforts and show that Europe today is more unified than ever before, because the threat today is greater than ever. The best support for the people of Ukraine in their darkest hours would be the immediate recognition of our membership of the European Union. Membership of the European Union – even before these events that started on 24 February – was supported by the majority of Ukrainians. Our mandate is to have a relationship with you, with the European Union, because the Ukrainian people have made their choice. I am calling upon all the Member States and the leadership of the European Union to support candidate status for Ukraine, which is now supported by the whole of Ukraine. You know that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already signed a letter with our application for membership, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union. Dear friends, this motion for a resolution of the European Parliament contains a whole range of sanctions that you plan to impose on the aggressor. I would call on you to support them. Let us together refute Winston Churchill’s famous saying that ‘we live in an era of big events and small people’. I know for sure that Ukraine is a great country of great people, and they have proved this over the past six days.  Let us be worthy of those people who are dying right now for the European Union, for the future of our European home. Let us understand that there cannot be peace in Europe without Ukraine. Europe cannot be whole without Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine!  Thank you for your attention.