On the second day of the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, a debate took place on the need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine two years after Russia’s invasion of the country. PiS MEPs Ryszard Czarnecki, Dominik Tarczyński, and Zdzisław Krasnodębski spoke during the discussion.
“Words are important; they change reality, but they cost less than actions,” said Ryszard Czarnecki, expressing his gratitude for the European Parliament’s strong declarations of support for Ukraine. He added, however, that he cannot understand why the EU still has not effectively tightened its sanctions regime and why many Western companies continue to do business with Russia. The MEP noted that these are companies not only from the United States, Taiwan, or Switzerland, but also from the European Union, which are thus aiding Russia. “If a very large portion of the semiconductors needed by the Russian military and Russian industry comes from the West, if Russian soldiers are killing Ukrainians while wearing boots imported from Western countries, then we need to take a hard look at ourselves and ask why this is happening,” stated the former Vice President of the European Parliament.
Dominik Tarczyński noted that two years have passed since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and little has been done to support Ukraine during that time. “What have you done, Mr. Weber? What have you Germans done? 5,000 helmets—that’s your achievement. Oh, and you also built Nord Stream 2 and blocked sanctions,” Tarczyński recalled. The PiS MEP noted that Germany was not the only country to act this way. “Belgium is also responsible for blocking sanctions on Russian diamonds, as is Austria, because one of its banks was on the list of war sponsors,” he pointed out. As he explained, while the rest of the countries were blocking sanctions, Poland was the first to come to the rescue when the Russians attacked. “Seventeen million people crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border. So don’t lecture us about humanity, asylum, or refugees, because we know who a refugee is and who an illegal migrant is,” he emphasized. As he recalled, he was the first Member of the European Parliament to see the mass graves. “How many of you have visited Ukraine? How many of you have visited Lampedusa? I was one of those who saw the illegal migrants. So let’s make a deal: you’ll take in the illegal migrants, and we’ll take in those who have been attacked by Putin,” he added.
Professor Zdzisław Krasnodębski said that when Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine two years ago, Europe was shaken and shocked, even though Russia’s brutal imperialism has been known in Europe for centuries. “The Ukrainians amazed us with their determination and courage, but today the mood has changed, and we cannot ignore reality,” he noted, adding that the EU is also to blame for this shift in sentiment. The MEP pointed out that Ukraine lacks not only equipment but also personnel; young Ukrainians are increasingly reluctant to enlist in the military, with many preferring to remain abroad; and, moreover, political divisions in Kyiv are growing. “In this situation, we should be doing more, not less,” the Polish politician urged. He supported the bold and determined actions of the European Council, which decided to provide further financial support to Ukraine and is considering the use of frozen Russian assets. “This aid is of immense importance,” said Professor Krasnodębski, expressing his hope that concrete action on this matter would not take another two years.
