Roberta METSOLA, EP President, invited Members and Jeanne Barseghian, Mayor of Strasbourg, Borys TARASUK, the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Council of Europe, Maria MEZENTSEVA, Vice Chair of the Verhovna Rada's Committee on Ukraine's integration to EU and representatives of the local Ukrainian diaspora, to gather in Agora Bronisław Geremek in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to show solidarity with Ukraine and its people.

EU - Ukraine (T)

Strasbourg

troubles in Ukraine (T)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

TARASYUK, Boris (UA)

BARSEGHIAN, Jeanne (FR)

president's agenda

Gathering in support of Ukraine in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg

External shot, before the gathering in support of Ukraine in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg

SOUNDBITE (French), Jeanne BARSEGHIAN, Mayor of Strasbourg, We think with great emotion of the too many victims of this war and their families. We want to tell them that Strasbourg is and will be by their side. Strasbourg, seat of the European Parliament and of the Council of Europe, symbolizes the reconciliation of European peoples after the Second World War. Our city carries the message of peace of a united Europe.

SOUNDBITE (French), Boris TARASYUK, Ambassador of Ukraine to the Council of Europe, You cannot imagine how moved we Ukrainians were seeing twenty seven Ukrainian flags here around the building of the European Parliament. Let me assure you, the President is talking to the people of Ukraine every day and he is saying: I am not going to leave the presidential office. And this is the answer of all Ukrainians. We will not give up. There will be no occupation of Ukraine.

Sound of the civil defense siren in Ukraine

SOUNDBITE (English), Maria MEZENTSEVA, Vice Chair of the Verhovna Rada's Committee on Ukraine's integration to EU, - This is how our morning at five a.m. exactly two weeks ago started in the capital of Ukraine and many other cities across our country. We thought there must be some mistake. It cannot be happening right now. We did not know what to do, where to go and how to act. But now we do know how to act. Even a small child of one year old knows how to act as well as her or his parents. We understood that this is it. This is a battle for life, a battle for freedom, and a battle not only of the subcontinent of Europe, but of all of the world. Ukraine is suffering today. But we don't cry. We don't feel the pain. We are in this battle together with you, together with Europeans as a united family.

SOUNDBITE (English), Yelsaveta YASKO, Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, The vest and all the world needs to act right now to protect Ukraine, to protect you, Europe and to protect humanity. And I'm sure that this place is the right place where we can think finally what we need to do today, not tomorrow, because unfortunately, we may not have time until tomorrow, because every day we're losing lives.

SOUNDBITE (French), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, Let us live up to their courage.Let us welcome with dignity those who are forced to flee horror. We, the European Parliament, support Ukraine's European aspirations. We will work together to achieve this goal. I am here to say, with you, that Putin's killing spree will not pass. I am here to confirm that we are with Ukraine.