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Four principles on the basis of which the European Union should act after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, stated in her opening speech at the extraordinary plenary session of the European Parliament. Metsola also stressed that the Parliament, on the basis of the resolution expected to be adopted at the end of the meeting, "welcomes Ukraine's application to become a candidate country for membership and we will work in this direction."[/P]Speaking before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech via teleconference, Ms. Metsola stressed that the EU cannot remain dependent on Russian gas, that Europe can no longer accept money from the Kremlin, adding that "super yachts will not find a port" and that "we will no longer sell passports to Putin's friends", as well as that EU investments in defence must match the rhetoric and finally that misinformation must be combated.
More specifically on energy dependence, Metsola stressed that "we need to step up efforts to diversify energy systems towards a Europe that is no longer dependent on authoritarian leaders," noting that this would strengthen the EU's energy security.
She also stressed that "Europe can no longer welcome money from the Kremlin and pretend that it does not come with commitments." Putin's oligarchs and those who finance him "should no longer be able to use their purchasing power to buy a veneer of respectability in our cities, communities and sports clubs."
"Superyachts will no longer find a port. We will no longer sell passports to Putin's friends," he stressed.
Third, he noted that defense investment must be consistent with rhetoric and called for the promotion of a "real security and defense union," recalling that in the last week Europe has shown that such a thing is "both possible and desirable."
Fourth, he called on social media and technology companies to take seriously their responsibilities to fight misinformation "and to understand that one cannot be neutral between fire and firefighting."
Noting that Europe is in the shadow of Putin's war, which "we did not ask for and did not start", Metsola condemned the Russian attack and expressed solidarity with those suffering, drawing applause from the plenary.
Europe, she continued, will not turn its face away from Ukraine as it fights for the values of Europe, adding that both Putin and Lukashenko will be held accountable for their actions.
Addressing President Zelensky, who was watching the speech via videoconference, as well as the country's ambassador to the EU and the Ukrainians in the room, she thanked them for showing the world what resistance means.
The stories of citizens and soldiers sacrificing themselves for freedom, of women giving birth in shelters, remind Europe that it is worth defending freedom.
Referring to the EU's response, she said that this is the moment for Europe to do "whatever it takes" and that member states bordering Ukraine have welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees, huge sanctions have been imposed, and the EU has gone a step further by providing weapons.
He said Europe must go one step further, noting that the Parliament welcomes Ukraine's application for EU membership.
As, he added, the Parliament has a tradition of being a nuisance to authoritarian leaders, he said the body would seek to ban any Kremlin representative from entering its premises.
Source: CNA
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