President Metsola is in Berlin. A Press point follows the meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

EU - Germany (T)

Berlin

SCHOLZ, Olaf (DE)

president's agenda

Joint press point with Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor and Roberta METSOLA, EP President

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor On her first visit to Berlin as president of the European Parliament, we met two weeks ago in Versailles at the informal European Council and were able to talk extensively and we will meet again on Thursday in Brussels. Europe and the world have changed due to the attack of Russia against Ukraine. However, Europe is and remains our paramount peace project. Our European unity has been decisive over the last few weeks and will continue to be crucial. Close coordination with our international partners is essential in these times. This is why I will be hosting a GC seven leaders meeting on Thursday in Brussels before the European Council for Europe. It holds true that we can only achieve something if we all the European Commission, the European Parliament and the member states and the council continue to pull in the same direction. We have a big agenda at the European Union and that requires close cooperation of both co-legislators, the council and the European Parliament. This is why I am delighted to be able to welcome the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, and I want to coordinate closely. We will, of course, be discussing the multidimensional challenges we are facing in the EU and well beyond due to the Russian attack against Ukraine. And let me make it unequivocally clear. Once again, we call on President Putin to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw his invasion troops from the country.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor A cease fire is urgently necessary with regard to the inconceivable suffering and destruction in our discussion. We will also be talking about how we can support Ukraine. The people there are bravely confronting the aggressor. And part of our support is that we will alleviate the humanitarian crisis these people are faced with and that we take care of the refugees, many of whom have already arrived in the EU and have been hosted here as EU member states will even better coordinate on these matters and we will have to help neighbouring countries even more.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor We will also exchange on how we can make the EU more sovereign and more resilient in order to better protect the citizens of Europe. These questions will also be at the heart of my discussions with colleagues at the European Council on Thursday and Friday, because the war in Ukraine means a watershed moment also for the European Union. It means that we as the EU need to faster become independent in terms of energy supply.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor This is the common understanding of all institutions and member states. The Fit 455 package is also a strategically important project in this regard that we want to move forward with ambition, and I know that the European Parliament is by our side in this effort. A concrete burden on citizens and companies in the EU is rising energy prices. This is what I hear from my discussions with members of the European Parliament and from other EU member states and in my exchange with colleagues at the European Council.

SOUNDBITE (German), Olaf SCHOLZ, German Federal Chancellor In order for Europe to be able to act, we want to work closely with the European Parliament in matters concerning the rule of law and the conference on the future of Europe, especially Russia's war of aggression, shows how important it is to protect our values domestically and externally The too. conference on the future of Europe is not only a way to integrate citizens into discussions about the further development of Europe, it can also be an important framework to launch concrete proposals for progress in the EU. And I am looking forward to a Roberta Metsola perspective on this, and I am looking forward to our exchange.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament Today, as the largest member state of the European Union, Germany has a particularly important role in shaping our common EU policies. And I am confident that this new government, under your leadership, will continue the constructive and pro-European approach that Germany is known for in Europe. I have had so far also the privilege to talk with President Steinmeier and meet with the Bundestag Vice-President Katrin Goring-Eckardt and the Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock earlier today, and the topics that you just raised, your chancellor were also raised during all the meetings.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament The war in Ukraine or rather Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine has changed everything. Putin has shattered peace in Europe, something that we would have thought unimaginable a few weeks only. ago As the European Union, we have acted boldly and quickly. We have adopted unprecedented and massive sanctions.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament Now, this is the right approach, but we can still do more. Europe must show Putin and his oligarchs that this war will come at the largest cost imaginable. And on this also let me state and reiterate the European Parliament's position and cooperation on also the conference on the future of Europe and also in moving forward with our ambitious climate targets, our goals in a very heavy, legislatively speaking agenda for the next two and a half years of the European Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament Let me today focus on an equally important message. And this is about the already three point five million Ukrainians that have been forced to flee their country. This is the largest movement of people we have seen since World War Two, mostly women and children. Who are taken in by communities, ordinary citizens and children who are supported also by local mayors in Poland, in Slovakia, in Romania, in Moldova and in Germany and across our continent, Europeans have opened their homes and their hearts for our fellow Europeans.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament And this is really Europe at its best. It is also time for us to seriously step up our assistance. These are unprecedented times and they need unprecedented responses. I'm sure we will continue to discuss this in our meeting, but also in the next few days in your meetings and in our European Council.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament The Temporary Protection Directive is a good start, but we need to organise ourselves and make sure that we will be able to handle a situation where people will continue to flee from Putin's indiscriminate shelling. Germany played a key role back in 2015, and the European Union is good at this. So my message also to you is that we can do this and we must do it.

Q&A Question regarding Germany's position towards Russia's exclusion of the G20 circle and from the WTO and about the European Parliament's position as a driving force of sanctions for oligarch assets.

Q&A Question regarding the energy embargo against Russia and the posibility of a compromise, and if this would be discussed in the EU Summit.