Today in Strasbourg, during the ongoing session of the European Parliament, a debate took place on European security, during which MEPs assessed the outcomes of the special European Council meeting convened on March 6 by President António Costa, with the participation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to discuss the situation in Ukraine and European defense. MEPs also outlined their expectations for the European Council summit on March 20–21, which—in addition to Ukraine—is expected to focus on the situation in the Middle East, European competitiveness, trade policy, and migration management. Speaking on behalf of the ECR Group, MEPs Patryk Jaki and Adam Bielan took the floor during the discussion.
Patryk Jaki emphasized that there is no doubt as to who is the aggressor and who is the victim—Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the victim. “There is no doubt that no ‘reset’ with Russia has ever succeeded and never will. The only thing that can stop Russia is credible force,” the Polish politician believes. According to Jaki, the general direction of strengthening European military capabilities is a good one; however, as he noted, fundamental questions regarding Europe’s security remain. “How does canceling elections in Romania and barring a candidate with 50 percent support from running serve Europe’s security? How does allowing Tusk to destroy the opposition, deprive the opposition of all public funds, and imprison members of parliament serve European security? How do your migration policy and the Migration Pact serve European security?” – the MEP asked.
The ECR leader said that the key question, however, is: “Do you want Europe to defend itself against external threats, or do you want Europeans to kill each other?” In the opinion of the PiS MEP, instead of uniting Europe in the face of threats, “particularistic interests are being prioritized, as usual.” “If Ukraine’s strength were to grow from the number of your empty words, the Ukrainian army would now be preparing for a parade in Moscow,” Jaki stated. At the same time, he proposed, as part of the declared willingness to help, transferring 300 billion euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, which “would be enough for five years of war.” “But you won’t do that, because you want to use it to negotiate further resets with Russia,” — Jaki argued, pointing out that at the same time, Europe “continues to attack America, provoking it to abandon Europe, even though Europe itself lacks even remotely comparable military capabilities.” “Your behavior will put EU countries bordering Russia in great danger,” the Polish politician warned.
Adam Bielan said that “Europe has neglected its defense industry for too long, leaving us dependent on external suppliers and unable to respond effectively to crises.” He noted that although NATO allies adhere to Article 5, which forms the basis of the Alliance’s collective security system, they have failed to fulfill their obligation under Article 3 regarding the development of their own defense capabilities. “EU member states must urgently invest in their own security, just as Poland has done under the leadership of Law and Justice,” urged the PiS MEP. He said that recent events have shown that, unfortunately, without the United States, Europe is virtually defenseless. “Regardless of political turmoil and disagreements, we must maintain strong and reliable transatlantic relations,” Bielan added, emphasizing that European security depends on this. “And from this very platform, I once again call on the Polish prime minister to stop blocking President Duda’s proposal to convene an EU-U.S. summit in Warsaw during the Polish presidency. Failing to hold it will only deepen the rifts in our relations with our most important ally,” Bielan urged. The Polish politician stressed that we cannot afford such mistakes at a time when security challenges are multiplying in Europe and beyond.
