• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

President of the European Parliament in Berlin - "The war in Ukraine also marks a turning point for the European Union"

Germany - Federal Government

Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, to Berlin ahead of the European Council meeting this week. The Federal Chancellor explained that both leaders wanted to co-ordinate closely as for Europe what mattered was: "We will only achieve something if all of us - the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Member States - keep pulling together."

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Russia's attack on Ukraine has changed Europe and the world, Federal Chancellor Scholz stressed on Tuesday. "Europe is and shall continue to be our most important peace project," Scholz explained. "European unity has been decisive in recent weeks and continues to be so." He once again called on President Putin to "cease hostilities immediately and withdraw his invasion forces from Ukraine," adding that: "In view of the unimaginable suffering and destruction, a ceasefire is urgently needed."

Even better coordination, even more aid

The Federal Chancellor wished to discuss three points in particular in his meeting with Metsola. Above all, it is about supporting Ukraine. "Our support includes attending to the humanitarian plight of these people and the war refugees, many of whom have already been taken in here with us in the European Union," said Scholz. The EU Member States intend to further improve coordination in future and also to provide even more assistance to states neighbouring the EU.

It is also a matter of increasing EU sovereignty and resilience, in order to better protect European citizens, since the war in Ukraine also marks a turning point for the European Union, Scholz stressed. The EU must therefore become independent in terms of energy more quickly, he said. With this in mind, he added, the Fit for 55 package is also a strategically important project that "we intend to drive forward with vigour."

Finally, Scholz said he wants to collaborate closely with the European Parliament on issues relating to the rule of law and at the conference on the future of Europe with a view to creating a Europe that is capable of taking effective action. Russia's war of aggression in particular shows how important it is to protect our values both internally and externally, he said, adding that the Future Conference could also provide an important framework for generating a tangible impetus for progress within the European Union. Once again, the Federal Chancellor expressed his eagerness to hear Roberta Metsola's perspective on this issue.