Roberta METSOLA, EP President arrives at the Informal EU 27 Summit, in Prague (Czech Republic). She gives a doorstep, explaining the main stakes and priorities of this meeting with other EU Heads or State or Governement.

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

informal summit of Heads of State and Government

Prague

president's agenda

informal summit of Heads of State or Government 7 October 2022 (T)

Informal EU 27 Summit in Prague: arrival and doorstep by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, On behalf of the European Parliament, first on Ukraine and then on energy and the next measures that we need to take. On Ukraine, Ukraine needs heavy weapons and it needs tanks, it needs arms. Member states can provide them. As Russia escalates its invasion and is getting more desperate, we need to respond with a proportionate way to help Ukraine win this war.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, On energy, member states need to stop outbidding each other. We need to stop the price speculation. We have done this before, during the Covid pandemic, when we came together and found common solutions. No differences were made between countries, no matter their size. I think we can do it. We should be able to do it. That is what citizens want from us.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, On the measures that we need to take. We have short term measures, we have done a lot of work on gas storage. We also need to do more on what happens after the winter, in the spring. Are we prepared to take the measures? There are no easy solutions. There are no easy answers. But we need to be prepared to take them. Our citizens are concerned. We need to lower our bills, we need to save our businesses, and we need to help Ukraine win the war in Kyiv.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, Of course, this is a concern. It's the reason why we need to make sure that we have a proportionate response for Ukraine to be able to win this war. The longer it takes, the more that Putin can play either with threats or with blackmail or with intimidation. He did not stop in 2008. He did not stop in 2014. And he has no intention of stopping now. What are we going to do about it? We looked away before. I don't think we should look away now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, A solution that Member States today, and this is what I would say in the speech, that there is a need for an EU wide gas cap now. Different member states have different opinions and the word cap means different things for different states. And I think that reality is something that we need to keep in mind. If Member States need more time, they need to have possible exceptions, then of course we give them, but let's not outbid each other. I think this is the way in order to be able to bring the prices down, to stop speculation and at the end of the day show Putin that he is not the one who dictates to us who pays and how we pay our bills.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, I would definitely support, and this is a position of the Parliament, that common procurement is the best way to do it. This would make sure, first of all, that there is no speculation. And this is also making sure that we are the ones who are taking care of our citizens today. Citizens are telling us: find solutions. They asked us to do this during the pandemic. We found solutions during the pandemic, too. Now it's an existential issue. We need to pay our bills. Our citizens are desperate and we need to be able to provide solutions. Those concerns are real, and this is the reason why we need to escalate our response to the war.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, This is why Ukraine needs more arms. This is why Ukraine needs more financial assistance. We also need to be ready, as we call it, for the winterisation. In other words, we need to make sure that Ukrainians have safe and dignified and warm conditions to live during what will be a very, very difficult winter with so many millions still internally displaced. I would also say that this is Putin's play game. This is what he does. He didn't stop before. He will not stop now. He likes to intimidate. He likes to up the ante. So all concerns are real and we need to be able to respond proportionately to those threats.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, Let's say I am very, very happy. And I welcome the fact that the year that the European Union has in an unprecedented way shown unity since the 24th of February. If the pandemic showed us something, is that where we thought we could not be united, we were united and we have been united ever since for the sanctions packages, for the military assistance for the solidarity help that has been shown to Ukraine. Do we need to do more? Yes. Is there a risk of fragmentation? Let's make sure we don't, because that's the only way in order for us to continue to do exactly what Putin does not want us to do, which is to fragment.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, On economic strength, you are right, this is not always a level playing field. However, common solutions have been found and I think this is the time to also find them. What I would do, what I would also say is that let's not remove any options off the table. I think we need to be ready. I will say that in there. I think we need to look at the long term financial framework that we have worked with.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, Is it still something that we can continue to work with? I don't think so. The European Parliament doesn't think so. Let's look again at our own resources. Let's look again at our accounting, our financial resources that Member States are contributing to. I think we have found common solutions, and I'm cautiously optimistic that we can find them because we have before.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, I would say that, first of all, I understand those countries that are bordering Russia that have while at the same time had a country that has illegally and brutally invaded another country. And we have seen women, children and men die in an unnecessary, unprovoked war. So I understand those countries that when they saw, over the summer, tourists from Russia enjoying the beaches, that that is a reaction that is understood. The European Parliament is of the opinion that, of course, for humanitarian reasons, for research reasons, our students, journalists have to be protected. And this is why the new visa regime is one that is appropriate and adaptive at this time.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, I would say the new regime is one that looks at a case by case basis. That is what I would look at also, because from a security perspective, we should have concerns. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, I would like to see an agreement on a cap. A cap that makes sure that Member States do not outbid each other, that does not put different citizens on a different level playing field. We managed this during the Covid pandemic. We managed this when we had joint procurement of vaccines. Let's do that now, when we have to find, first of all, solutions that make sure that our citizens can continue to pay their bills.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, And in this case, it's not only about winter, but what comes after the winter. It is also when the storage runs out. What are we doing? And the European Parliament is very active on that, in making sure that on a legislative playing field we are doing our part. At the end of the day, the minute we act together, speculation stops and prices go down. And I think that should be the priority of all of us, no matter which country we come from.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, be around Just the table and find common solutions. Each country has its own reality. We have seen that from the beginning of the war. If somebody had asked me on the 24th of February, that would be already at this stage a level of sanctions and this stage and level of unity, I would have had my concerns or, let's say, scepticism. We should welcome that unity and let's continue to work for that. And that's what I'm going to do now.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, Absolutely. I think everything that brings countries around the table to discuss common solutions and common challenges is extremely important. The fact that the next meeting will be held in Moldova is extremely important. We have to also protect those countries that are not member states of the European Union. Not yet member states of the European Union have aligned themselves with our sanctions and are very much at the mercy of a very, very intimidating neighbour, such as Moldova.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, So meetings now such as yesterday for us are welcome. Any possibility to discuss, making sure that all countries implement the sanctions and enforce them. And that also does not exclude in any way from the ongoing very welcome pass of Member States that are new candidates to join the European Union. Whether we are talking about Ukraine and Moldova and Georgia on its path, but also not to forget the Western Balkans, which is what we promised in June and July and still do now that we need to continue to move on that path for them.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, Without speculating, I would say, and without creating panic, we have to wait to see who the culprits were. But I also think that we need to be better prepared for activities such as this in our seas, not only in the Baltic Sea, but also elsewhere. And for that, we are going to be the ones who are waiting and asking for the results to be to be seen. We welcome also the reaction of the different Member States that are in the area and how they have secured the perimeter. I think from a security perspective, we need to be prepared for all scenarios and I think that that's what we showed, but we have to continue to be prepared for.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, We should start our work towards saving our businesses, our citizens, being able to pay their bills and countries not outbidding each other. That is the solution that we need to find, and I am convinced that we will find it.