Members from the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) and the Security and Defence Subcommittee (SEDE) travel to Ukraine from 30 January to 1 February, to gather information on the current crisis. The leaders of the delegation, the Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Security and Defence Subcommittee David McAllister (EPP, DE) and Nathalie Loiseau (Renew, FR) hold a press point in Mariupol.

Ukraine

EU - Ukraine (T)

Committee on Foreign Affairs

press point

Subcommittee on Security and Defence

EP delegation

McALLISTER, David (EPP, DE)

LOISEAU, Nathalie (Renew, FR)

EP fact-finding mission to Ukraine: Press point David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair and by Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), SEDE Chair

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/9214146/1643634435111_I217663Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Introduction by David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair and Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), SEDE Chair

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), Chair of AFET Committee, We are here nine colleagues from different political backgrounds and different political parties. But we are here in Ukraine to gather information about what's going, speaking to representatives of politics, business, the military and civil society.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, And we are here to show solidarity, solidarity with Ukraine and its citizens. And these this hour of uncertainty, the European Parliament fully and unequivocally supports the independence, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, The Russian military build-up at board at the border with Ukraine is of huge concern for all of us in Europe because the security of Ukraine is closely linked to the security all over our continent. We have agreed upon principles how we deal with each other in Europe. We respect each other's sovereignty and integrity. We don't use military force against each other and we do not threaten each other.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, All these principles are enshrined in the framework of the OSCE and important documents like the Helsinki Final Act or the Paris Charter. The European Parliament has been very clear in its call on Russia to de-escalate the situation.

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, This conflit, this crisis can only be solved through diplomatic means. That's why we call for continued efforts, through diplomatic talks in all different formats to raise the tensions and to de-escalate. The ball is in the Russian court. 

SOUNDBITE (English), David McALLISTER (EPP, DE), AFET Chair, Before I hand over to Natalie Loiseau , I once again want to see on behalf of our delegation. We are here in this hour of uncertainty to show solidarity with Ukraine and its citizens. It's important that we show a united position. That's why this cross-party delegation is also an expression of our unity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), SEDE Chair, Indeed, we are here to show our support for Ukraine and in a sign of solidarity. We also signal the European unity at a moment where there is huge disinformation spreading over Ukraine coming from Russia. The current situation is serious and we are taking it very seriously. We are serious in our support to Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), SEDE Chair, Providing additionnal funding and proposing equipment and different sorts of support so that the resilience of Ukraine can be improved we are serious in diplomatic efforts to de-escalate and to defuse the crisis because we know that Ukraine doesn't want a war.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), SEDE Chair, We are serious in our firmness in case Russia would consider a military aggression towards Ukraine. We stand ready to take unprecedented sanctions against Russia. We already see Russia trying to destabilise your country, through desinformation, cyber attacks and virus manipulations. We will stand firm and we will continue to support Ukraine because nothing about the future of Ukraine can be decided without the Ukrainians.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nathalie LOISEAU (Renew, FR), SEDE Chair, Ukraine must be free to choose its future and to choose its allies and nothing about the security of Europe can be decided without the Europeans. 