This is Europe's security whatever it takes moment  

Ministers, Ambassadors, Distinguished guests,
Colleagues, participants, members of the European Parliament,
Ladies and gentlemen,
 
Thank you for having me here today. It matters that we are here, in Latvia, at this critical moment in our story.
 
The Baltic’s geography tells its own story. To the west, incidents in the Baltic Sea are on the rise. To the east, neighbours are growing more aggressive. The Suwałki Gap is one of the more critical points in the world. Here in Latvia, you know what it means to live at the edge of freedom. You remember what could happen. What has happened.
 
The point I concede to all the Latvian Members of Parliament, is that we should have listened to you sooner. For years, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland - you all warned us about what was coming. You warned after the annexation of Crimea, the Kremlin-sponsored disinformation campaigns sowing discord in our societies, about the hybrid attacks on critical infrastructure - another one as recently as last week.
 
You kept warning us about what is happening in Zapad - in 2017, in 2021. The joint Russia-Belarusian military drills that took place just a few weeks ago prove that Russia is still rattling its sabre. And you warned us about the Russian troop build-up before their illegal invasion of Ukraine. You knew very well who we are dealing with. And know very well what it takes to counter it today.

Europe’s political centre of gravity has truly shifted east. Just a month ago, a Russian military drone was found in the eastern part of Latvia. Since then, drones have been spotted over Poland, Romania, Denmark, Germany, and Russian fighter jets have entered Estonian airspace. These are not isolated incidents. What we are facing is a new level of provocation: on land, at sea, and now in the air.
 
It’s something that I experienced first-hand. During my most recent visit to Kyiv I could really see how drones have really become the primary weapon of war. And I think all of this must finally serve as Europe’s rallying call. We cannot afford to repeat past mistakes. Europe needs to take responsibility of its own security. We must strengthen our defence capabilities, deepen our interoperability, and above all, ensure we are better prepared.
 
It is an understanding that I am pleased [maybe, a little relieved] to say that this is starting to take hold. Since 2021, EU defence spending has increased by more than 30%. And earlier this year, NATO members committed to raising their defence budgets to 5% of their GDP - something that would have been unthinkable even one year ago.
 
However, money alone won’t make us safer though. Not if we keep working separately, if we are constantly duplicating efforts - if we’re failing to plan, develop and procure together. In Europe, we still function as 27 separate systems and we operate with 178 different weapons systems. The United States, by comparison, has about 30.
 
That kind of fragmentation means we can produce all the ammunition we want, and we can reinforce each other with all the military equipment we can, but if our systems are incompatible or if our forces are not trained to use them properly, then all our efforts risk falling short. That is what is slowing us down and that is what is driving up costs.
 
It is why the European Parliament keeps emphasising - why me and my colleagues, including Latvian MEPs, keep emphasising - on the need for better coordination, greater coherence and the capacity to operate as one system. It is what a real European security architecture must be designed to deliver. We’re asked often what do you mean by a European security architecture? This is precisely what we mean. One that brings together our military, industrial, political and digital capacities. One that allows us to act faster, with more impact, and with one voice.
 
Now I do not want to be misinterpreted: NATO is - and always will be - the backbone of our collective territorial defence. And the partnership that we have with the United States is unique. There is no question about that.
 
I think that in this dangerous world, it makes more [not less] sense to deepen partnerships with like-minded partners - with Canada and the United Kingdom, for example. It’s a point I recently made to leaders at the European Political Community meeting in Denmark.
 
I also want to use this moment to recognise Latvia and the Baltic States’ indispensable role in the NATO alliance. I deeply value your commitment, and I look forward to expressing my - and the European Parliament’s - full support for our eastern flank, including efforts to strengthen security in the Baltic Sea, during my visit to Camp Ādaži with Prime Minister Siliņa later today.
 
At the same time, European Union has its own role to play. And that role is only growing - in crisis management, in cyber and hybrid resilience, in strategic deterrence, in building defence capabilities. Not by duplicating what is already there, but by strengthening it. By building a solid European pillar within the alliance, and by strengthening the alliance as a whole. By ensuring peace through strength. By acting together. By living that age old European truth: “all for one, and one for all.” That’s what Europe means.
 
It is why the European Parliament has acted with unprecedented speed to adopt legislation that will help build economies of scale by aligning defence planning and procurement across Europe. And we are so close to reaching an agreement with Member States on the European Defence Industry Programme. This will aim to simplify processes, remove barriers and support our defence industry’s ability to deliver at speed, hand in hand with Ukraine’s industrial base.
 
Now we are working to give Member States greater flexibility in using EU funds so they can invest in dual-use projects - including drone technology. During my visit to Kyiv, President Zelenskyy was very clear, as he always is: Ukraine has both the field experience and industrial capacity to produce more drones. What they lack however, is financing.
 
With Latvia a leader in this field, I know you are aware of the impact that this kind of funding can have. Support like this strengthens Ukraine’s defence but it also strengthens Europe’s readiness. And that is precisely why we are pushing dual-use financing also in the discussions on the next EU long-term budget.
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
I’ve spoken a lot about what the European Parliament is doing and what I think is needed to make our defence systems stronger and more resilient. To build a security ecosystem that safeguards our territory and our people. But none of this will matter if we don’t keep the war in Ukraine at the top of our agenda. Each of us has a role to play in pushing back against war fatigue.
 
Now we can agree or disagree about many things here, but one fact is indisputable: ending the purchase of Russian gas and energy strikes at the very heart of Russia’s war machine. We will do it, and we will do it faster than expected. And we will look to allies and partners.
 
We should be proud of how far Member States have gone in disentangling themselves from Russian energy. We must go even further. Of course, phasing out these dependencies must be accompanied by a plan. But the excuses that have held us back for so many years until now are far, far, from insurmountable. The same holds true on frozen Russian assets.
 
At the end of the day, all of this - all our efforts - coming together and really doing what we thought was impossible a year, two, three, four, five years ago - this comes down to sustaining genuine peace.
 
And it has come, in a way, as a surprise to us, I would say. As political representatives, as elected politicians, when we’re asked: “what do we mean by peace”? It’s a word that we took for granted. It’s a word I was never asked about when my country joined the European Union together with this country and we would be looking at economic stability, we would be looking at how we would grow as part of a strategic group of Member States that have together common values and common projects. But what we perhaps forgot is that the European Union is, at its very core, is a peace project - and peace takes effort.
 
So when yesterday, after 733 long nights, an agreement that would see the remaining hostages released and a ceasefire in Gaza was finally agreed to, [it] was something we welcomed so much. This is a moment for peace and renewal in the Middle East. It opens a path that could finally end the intergenerational cycle of violence, suffering and terror that has plagued the region. It must be respected and it must be thoroughly implemented.
 
Peace is never easy - it takes difficult, sometimes uncomfortable, but necessary decisions. Whether that’s playing a constructive role in ensuring the Gaza peace agreement holds; whether that is standing with Ukraine and remaining steadfast in the principle of ‘Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine’; whether that’s advancing merit-based enlargement as a clear geopolitical strategic priority; whether that’s supporting democracy and countering Russian intimidation in our neighbourhood - the election results in Moldova were encouraging but make no mistake, the story is far from over; or as I said at the start of my few words today, whether that’s pushing Europe to take responsibility over its own security. We need to get to the next level of defence.
 
Here, Latvia just sent a strong signal of commitment to the world. For the first time in your history, you will serve on the UN Security Council. On behalf of the European Parliament, I wish you every success and look forward to standing with you as you champion these shared priorities.
 
This is, I would say, Europe’s security “whatever it takes” moment, and we count on Latvia to help continue lead that drive.
 
Thank you.
 
 
You can read the President's speech in Latvian here.