European citizens discuss with MEPs, Members of National Parliaments, European Commissioners and Member of the European governments the final reccommendations of the Citizens' panels on the topic of the role of the European Union in the world. In particular, contributions and family picture with an Ukranian delegation of citizens, and extracts from the debate with a stetement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

EU - Ukraine (T)

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

future of the European Union (T)

GARCÍA PÉREZ, Iratxe (S&D, ES)

BORRELL FONTELLES, Josep (PSE, ES, EC)

Conference on the Future of Europe - EU In the World: extracts from the debate, contributions of an Ukrainian delegation and family picture

Conference on the Future of Europe: contributions of an Ukrainian delegation and extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (Renew, BE), co-chair of the CoFoE, We would like to welcome some very special guests in the plenary because we have dear colleagues an important delegation of citizens from Ukraine. They are refugees, they recently arrived here in Strasbourg to flee their homes. And I want to say them, welcome in our all name.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (Renew, BE), co-chair of the CoFoE, Ukraine is fighting for the European continent, for European values, for European identity, and we have to be aware of that, that this is a war that is shaping the world, that is shocking for everybody and certainly hurting a lot of people in your country. But at the same time, it is about the soul of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bozhena BORIAK, Ukrainian citizen, Dear members of the European Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, I stand here before you today only with my body present while my mind and heart are in Ukraine. My compatriots, innocent people near civilians aiming to live a peaceful life face a reign of violence and the dilemma of fighting of their freedom or death, and witness of this tragedy, which touches not just Ukraine, but the whole European family.

SOUNDBITE (English), Bozhena BORIAK, Ukrainian citizen, And if someone in the family is in pain, the suffering should affect every member and we can no longer remain deaf. We have to act.

SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian),  Anna SHCHEKATUNOVA, Ukrainian citizen, Geographically Ukraine it's at centre, it's in the middle of Europe. And the in each body - and we are a body - has a heart. In Europe, Ukraine is a heart of Europe. And right now your heart is being killed. Together was Ukraine europe is being killed. You have to safe our heart, our Europe.

SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian), Dmytro SHEREMBEY, Ukrainian citizen, Ukrainians will not give up because for us, freedom means more than economic facilities or economic advantages. Ukrainian will continue to fight. Never, never. We will give up, and

SOUNDBITE (English), Maria MEZENTSEVA, member of the Ukrainian, we highly appreciate the resolution that if passed, we will move on with European Council Commission to the full membership of Ukraine, which Ukrainian nation does deserve. Glory to Ukraine colleagues. We have to stop this war because this war is disgusting. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, HR/VP of the European Union, It's clear that the war in Ukraine has shown us even more even needed that we need to stronger Europe. A stronger Europe, able to play a role on security to provide security to our citizens are been asking for that for years. Maybe this is the moment of the birth of a geopolitical Europe. At least we are starting to exist with a geopolitical dimension.