Today, the President of the European Parliament Robert Metsola was in Kyiv with Parliament's strong message of support. Addressing the Verkhovna Rada, she said that just as Europe stood with Ukraine since day one, we will keep remain at your side.
Honourable Chairman, Honourable Members, It is such an honour for me to be here in a new mandate of the European Parliament. I would like to begin by giving my condolences to you all after your former Chair Andriy Parubiy was killed. He was part of this great parliamentary institution, and he will be missed. His loss reminds us of the human cost of this war, and how urgent it is that we bring it to an end. I visited the Wall of Remembrance just before I came here. Every death, every family, everyone is impacted. I know that peace will return. Ukraine will prevail. But how soon that peace comes, and on what terms, depends on you. Because nothing can be, should be, or will be, decided about Ukraine without Ukraine. You do not need words of empathy from me. What you need, what Europe has delivered since day one, and what we will continue to provide, is real support. Support with weapons, with ammunition and with training. Support with humanitarian aid for families who have lost their homes and their loved ones. Support through tough sanctions to weaken Russia’s war machine, and support through diplomacy to keep Ukraine’s cause at the very top of our agenda. Support in terms of real investment, also in Ukraine’s own production. That is how, together, we defend Ukraine, and how we move closer to peace. How we work to return every kidnapped Ukrainian child back home. How we bring back all those civilians still taken. We must be clear about what kind of peace we are working towards. A false ‘peace’ would only postpone the war by a few months or years, into one with even worse consequences. Our position is clear: peace must be permanent, it must be based on justice and it must be based on dignity. A peace that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence. Europe - like Ukraine - has always wanted peace. It is the very reason our Union was founded. But it must be a real peace, one that lasts, a peace that keeps us all safe. That is why we continue to push for security guarantees, and why we are working with our partners to make them real. We are ready, determined and able, and this is also the message that we have sent to our partners in the United States. From the very first days of this war, Europe has stood by your side. We were the first in Kyiv when the bombs started falling, with President Zelenskyy and all of you, and we have never left. Our resolve has only in fact grown stronger. The European Union has already mobilised 169 billion euros, including 63 billion euros in military support. We are moving forward on frozen Russian assets. We are increasing investment in Ukraine’s defence industry, expanding procurement from Ukrainian manufacturers, and moving forward with new joint initiatives like the new Drone Alliance. And we know that we need to do more - much more - to keep delivering the financial support that your country needs. At the same time, we are keeping up the pressure on Russia. We expect the 19th package of sanctions to be adopted very soon, and we are coordinating closely with our allies to ensure maximum impact. And we will keep moving away from Russian gas and Russian oil, faster. And tackle the shadow fleets still operating. This is about solidarity in action. But ultimately, it is also about our collective security. Part of that solidarity and security is also about Ukraine’s place in our Union. Joining the European Union is a security guarantee in itself, and we are moving forward together on that path. Europe must match the progress that you have already made with the next step of formally opening the so-called ‘fundamentals cluster’. I am confident that we will find a way forward. And let me assure you that you have the full support of the European Parliament to do this. European integration is not an abstract concept, it brings actual, tangible results. The roaming agreement announced in July is already helping citizens and businesses. The Ukraine Facility has already disbursed 22.7 billion euros, with further support linked to reforms that make your institutions stronger and more resilient. Continued progress in the Rada on these reforms is essential, on fast-tracking critical legislation. And those reforms matter. Particularly those linked to the Ukrainian Plan. The restoration of powers to your anti-corruption bodies was an important signal, and the Verkhovna Rada has shown great determination in adopting legislation to align with European Union standards. This is not about ticking boxes, it is about building the strong, transparent institutions that Ukrainians deserve, and that will be the foundation of Ukraine’s future as a full member of the European Union. On trade, the Free Trade Agreement reached in June paves the way for a stable and predictable framework that supports Ukraine’s accession path, and that means real opportunities for your families, your people, and your industries. None of this progress happens by chance. It is the result of the close, daily, cooperation between our parliaments. The European Parliament and the Verkhovna Rada have built one of the strongest inter-parliamentary relationships in the world. And of this, I think we should be proud. Ruslan, dear Chairman, your engagement with the European Union and with the G7 is critical, on a political level. And let me also underline the role of the Rada’s administration and Secretary-General in ensuring logistical and practical support. And our partnership has grown stronger with every visit, every exchange, every meeting. It is rooted in mutual respect and genuine trust, and it also practical, with our parliaments working together, learning from one another, ensuring that Ukraine’s laws are prepared for EU membership, and that Europe’s support delivers real results here. I want to thank you once again, dear Chairman Stefanchuk, for your leadership, and for your friendship. I do not only come here as a colleague, but I come here as having made real true friends over the last years, and I’m so proud of that. And I have also gotten to know many of you over the past years, and many of you have gotten to know many of my Members of the European Parliament, they are also so keen, so supportive, so convinced of the next steps of how we get you into the European Union. I would like to recognise your commitment, but also for defending parliamentarism. I know that you work under conditions that most other parliaments could never imagine, under constant danger, with your own building under threat, and your people under fire. Yet you continue. You show the world what it means to defend democracy in the hardest of circumstances. Thank you for that. I know it is exhausting, I know how difficult it is. But let me say again: your resilience, your courage and your resolve have inspired the world. Know that the European Parliament will remain firmly at your side, every step of the way, until peace is secured, until freedom is restored, and until Ukraine takes its rightful place in our European family. This is why I am here this week, to strengthen our cooperation even further. We are opening a permanent representation office of the European Parliament here in Kyiv, so that we are present on the ground, working alongside you every day. This was our commitment to you, and we have kept it. We are here with you and we are here to stay. And as we also say, “You will never walk alone.” And when that peace does come, and when this dark chapter is finally closed, we will be standing with you still, as you re-build. And soon you will join the family of nations in the European Union. Thank you for proving that famous Ukrainian proverb right: “A brave heart is stronger than two strong arms”. And Ukraine’s heart beats loudly enough for the world to hear. As your President Zelenskyy said on 1 March 2022 when he addressed the European Parliament, “Light will win over darkness, life will win over death”. It was true then, it is true now. Slava Ukraini.
You can read the President's speech in Ukrainian here.