Posėdžio stenograma

Trečiadienis, 2022 m. kovo 23 d. - Briuselis

18. Kanados Ministro pirmininko Justin Trudeau kalba

  President. – Let me welcome the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Thank you for joining us here today.

Le Canada est un allié, un ami et un partenaire précieux. Nous sommes des garants solides des valeurs de démocratie, d’État de droit et de paix – des valeurs que nous partageons.

The enduring relationship between the European Union and Canada has withstood the test of time and only grows stronger. Geography may divide us, but there is no ocean that can part our shared values, shared outlook and shared way of life.

Through our Strategic Partnership, and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, our privileged relationship has reached new heights, but today we are facing a threat to all of us.

We did not provoke Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, we did not invite this confrontation between peace and war, but we share a commitment to solidarity with Ukraine and the millions of people forced to flee Putin’s bombs.

There is so much at stake. No one knows this better than Canada, that is home to one of the largest Ukrainian communities in the world.

The core values we all share are under attack. The democratic world order and the peace we have known are under threat. Scenes we thought were confined to the dark chapters of our history books have returned.

The fight of the Ukrainian people is a fight for freedom, democracy and our way of life. We cannot leave them alone and we will not leave them alone.

With millions forced to flee, the world is again staring at an ever-worsening humanitarian crisis that we must be ready – and we must be willing – to face. Canada is a world leader in welcoming and resettling people in search of a life away from horror and we must rely on your expertise and your solidarity now again. It is really time to come together, now like never before.

‘Whatever it takes’ means continuing to match massive sanctions with aid, military equipment and financial support. But it must also mean real humanitarian corridors, urgent relocation, air bridges and a redoubling of efforts to seek a ceasefire. That is the response that all our citizens – whether in Canada or Europe – expect. That is the response worthy of our place in history.

This is our generation’s moment to prove we can live up to the promise of the world we inherited. We can give Ukrainian children, women and men a chance at a future without fear, but we can only do this if the world acts together.

Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, thank you for being here with us, for reaffirming your great country’s commitment to democracy, to equality, to multilateralism and to Canada’s proud record of defending our shared humanity.

Mr Prime Minister, the floor is yours.

  Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada. – Madam President, I would like to thank you, David McAllister, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Stéphanie Yon—Courtin, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Canada. Distinguished Parliamentarians, ladies and gentlemen, it is a privilege to be here in Brussels with you all.

Avant de commencer, j’aimerais d’abord exprimer mes condoléances à la suite du décès en début d’année du président Sassoli. C’est une grande perte pour votre Parlement et pour l’Europe. J’aimerais également prendre un moment pour adresser mes condoléances aux proches des victimes de la tragédie de La Louvière ainsi qu’à tous ceux dont la vie a été bouleversée par ces événements. Nos pensées et notre amitié sont avec la Belgique dans ces moments difficiles.

I first addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg in 2017. It was the first time a Canadian Prime Minister addressed your Parliament. Back then, this Parliament saw me as someone new on the world stage. We got to work tackling progressive issues, building the things that we thought mattered. We could see that something was lurking off on the horizon, something shadowy, something that was threatening. We didn’t look close enough.

When I spoke to this Parliament five years ago, I spoke about making multilateralism work for the middle class and those working hard to join it, so that economic frustrations don’t become fertile ground for populism, nativism, protectionism and the polarisation towards more extreme political views. Well, today we are staring these forces in the face as they threaten the peace, justice, truth, democracy and stability of our world. We have a choice about what we do next.

Since 2017, the world has changed a lot. A global pandemic has taken the lives over of over six million people and disrupted the lives of everyone else. A global recession saw millions lose their jobs, with many economies still struggling to bounce back. It is a world that is no longer forecasting, but living, the dangers of climate change.

There is a growing distrust of governments and facts, and a weakening of democratic institutions. We saw one of our staunchest guarantors of the rules—based order choosing for four years to step away from NATO and away from multilateralism, and now we see Putin’s criminal invasion of a sovereign, independent and democratic Ukraine.

People have a real and deep sense of uncertainty about what the future holds. These are anxious times, and people are looking for leadership and solutions. Unfortunately, we’re seeing a rise in cynical populists who are trying to exploit these anxieties. They pretend to have easy solutions that play on people’s fears.

Even in Canada, where 90% of people are vaccinated and our motto as a country is ‘peace, order and good government’, we saw anti—vaccine and anti-government protests devolve into illegal occupations of our communities and blockades of our borders. The leaders of those convoys were effective in turning citizens with real anxieties against the system best—suited to allay those concerns. But democracy isn’t a game, and there just aren’t easy solutions to the big, complex problems we are all facing. But that doesn’t mean that the way forward isn’t clear. There is no greater clarity than the will of the people who want better for themselves and their children at home, and no stronger defence against destructive forces from the outside, from outside our democracies, than the unwavering unity of like—minded partners.

Au cours des quatre-vingts dernières années, nous avons collectivement établi et renforcé une série de règles et d’institutions afin d’accroître la stabilité et la prévisibilité dans les affaires internationales. Nous l’avons fait pour protéger les gens, pour leur offrir les meilleures perspectives de paix, pour défendre leur dignité et leurs droits inaliénables et pour faire en sorte qu’ils soient libres de choisir leur propre avenir.

Aujourd’hui, ces règles et institutions sont ouvertement menacées. Vladimir Poutine a enfreint les préceptes les plus fondamentaux du droit international, et il tue maintenant les civils innocents en bombardant des hôpitaux et des immeubles résidentiels. Ce mépris flagrant des lois et de la vie humaine constitue une menace immense pour l’Europe et pour le monde entier.

Canada, the EU and all of our partners and allies are facing a defining moment. We cannot fail. We must meet this moment. I speak to you today no longer as someone quite so new. In fact, I may now be one of the longer—serving progressive leaders around. I’m certainly not going to pretend to have all the answers, but what I do know is that there is work that lies before us as thoughtful leaders, as people focused on the short— and long—term well-being of all our citizens, and as people committed to democracy and the values that underpin them. That work is more important than ever.

Putin thought democracy was weak. He saw our disagreements and debates as weakness, but what he has never understood is that the rigours of debate, that forceful civic engagement, is what makes us strong, and that democracy at its best will always be stronger than authoritarianism. If we’re going to be honest, and we need to be honest in this place, we haven’t always been at our best these past years. Putin thought we were divided. He thought he could weaken the EU and NATO. He miscalculated, and he is seeing it backfire.

NATO and the EU are now more resolved and united than ever, because all of us in this room who are committed to democracy know in our bones that democracy didn’t happen by accident, and it will not continue without deliberate, mindful effort.

Mes amis, je veux être bien clair. Les Européens, y compris nos alliés en Europe de l’Est, peuvent compter sur l’amitié et le soutien total du Canada. Le Canada dirige le groupement tactique de la présence avancée rehaussée de l’OTAN en Lettonie, mission qui regroupe dix pays de l’OTAN. Depuis cinq ans, des centaines de militaires canadiens sont déployés à des milliers de kilomètres de chez eux pour se positionner à 200 kilomètres de la frontière russe. Ils sont déployés en Lettonie, parce que ce qui est important pour la sécurité de l’Europe l’est aussi pour la sécurité du Canada. Récemment, nous avons annoncé que nous doublions notre déploiement dans le cadre de l’OTAN pour les années à venir. Ces militaires ne défendent pas seulement la Lettonie et l’Europe de l’Est; ils défendent notre liberté, notre sécurité et toutes nos démocraties.

We cannot let Ukraine down. They are counting on us, so let’s use all the tools we have at our disposal. President Zelenskyy and I have been talking often about the strong ties between our countries. Canada, as mentioned, is home to the second largest Ukrainian community in the world after Russia, so we must all collectively step up to provide humanitarian aid, to support families affected by this war, and already start thinking about investing to rebuild Ukraine afterwards.

We must all continue to send military equipment and lethal aid to help Ukrainians in their heroic defence, not just of their lands, but of all of the principles that defend ours. We must continue to impose unprecedented sanctions on Putin and his enablers in Russia and Belarus, increasing the pressure as much as we can. We must ensure that the decision to invade a sovereign, independent country is understood to be a strategic failure that carries with it ruinous costs for Putin and Russia.

Putin’s attack on Ukraine is an attack on the values that form the pillars of all democracies. We have a responsibility to make the case to people about why these values matter so much, not just to Ukrainians, but to us all. We must recommit ourselves to the work of strengthening our democracies and demonstrate the principled leadership citizens everywhere are looking for. That leadership means reinforcing the things our citizens have in common, rather than playing to their differences. The task before us is not small, but given the right tools, we can do it. We should all be reassured of how much of this work is already underway in this place and in parliaments like it across Europe and around the world.

Au Canada, notre gouvernement élabore actuellement une nouvelle mesure législative pour lutter contre les méfaits en ligne. Cette année, le Canada assume la présidence de la Coalition pour la liberté en ligne, et nous comptons mettre l’accent sur la protection des droits de la personne, l’inclusion et la diversité dans l’espace numérique.

Ici, à l’Union européenne, votre devise est «Unie dans la diversité». Au Canada, la diversité est aussi au cœur de notre identité. Bien sûr, nous savons qu’il y a toujours plus de travail à faire, mais sur le plan de la réconciliation avec les peuples autochtones, de la lutte contre le racisme systémique, de l’égalité des sexes et de la défense des communautés LGBTQ2, nous faisons énormément de progrès. Que ce soit en assurant la mise en œuvre de la Déclaration des Nations unies sur les droits des peuples autochtones ou en investissant pour soutenir les entrepreneurs des communautés noires, nous donnons des outils pour la croissance économique à ceux qui, trop souvent, ont été laissés pour compte.

Governments can and should play a positive role in people’s lives. In Canada, like in many European countries, we made massive investments to respond to the COVID—19 pandemic. It was the right thing to do to protect our people, and it was the necessary thing to do to ensure a strong and robust economic recovery.

We know that when we invest in people, including in the most vulnerable, and when we grow the middle class and make life more affordable for everyone, not only do individuals benefit, but our entire country and the foundations of our democracy also benefit.

Que ce soit les conséquences immédiates de l’insécurité alimentaire, de l’inflation et des prix élevés de l’essence, ou que ce soit les conséquences à long terme du changement climatique ou de la pandémie, les démocraties doivent faire de leur mieux pour engager les conversations difficiles et nécessaires avec leurs citoyens afin de trouver des solutions.

En matière de lutte contre le changement climatique, la collaboration entre le Canada et l’Union européenne continue d’être essentielle. Notre travail se poursuit pour accélérer la transition vers une énergie verte et renouvelable, pour respecter nos engagements de la COP 26 et pour sécuriser nos chaînes d’approvisionnement, y compris pour les minéraux critiques. Il faut continuer d’agir ensemble pour bâtir un avenir plus propre et une économie plus résiliente.

Canada and European countries also share the goals of reducing poverty and inequality while growing the middle class. We share aspirations for a better, safer and cleaner future. Progressive trade agreements, like CETA, are helping our economies grow and creating good jobs while protecting high standards for workers, consumers and the environment.

Our ability to pull together, despite differences, and deliver for people really matters, and I thank you all for that. With the longest coastline in the world, Canada’s shores reach out into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans. Our connections with the whole of the Americas is strong. We’re one of the most globally connected partners at the UN, with memberships in NATO, the G7, the G20, the Arctic Council, APEC, the OAS, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie.

We all have a lot of work to do, and collaboration will be key to success towards building a better future for our kids and our grandkids. It will require constant efforts, but I’m confident that we are up to the task. I’m confident in all of us here today. I’m confident in the resilience of our institutions, and mostly I’m confident in our citizens. I can say that that because of what I have witnessed over the past four weeks. The resolve of our united response to this unacceptable invasion has been stronger than anything Putin expected – and not just from governments, but from citizens in all our countries. It’s that spirit and resolve that we must take forward with us.

The European Union has mobilised to defend democracy, and, as always, you can count on the friendship and full support of Canada every step of the way.

Ensemble, nous devons soutenir les démocraties partout à travers le monde, y compris les plus fragiles, et lutter contre l’autoritarisme grâce à plus d’investissements et en nous engageant pour montrer l’exemple. Nous devons appuyer les gens courageux comme le président Zelensky et les Ukrainiens qui luttent pour leurs droits. Chacun de nous doit poursuivre son travail afin d’améliorer la démocratie dans son propre pays.

Five years ago, we saw the storm clouds on the horizon. But today, we are clear-eyed.

Continuons à combattre les mensonges par la vérité, la peur par les faits et la division par l’unité.

As long as we don’t take our democracy for granted, as long as we keep working every day to make it better, as long as our partnerships are strong, we can be confident in the future. In the words of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, light will win over darkness.

(The House rose and accorded the speaker a standing ovation)

  President. – Thank you so much, Prime Minister Trudeau, for those powerful words and messages.

We will now hear from representatives of all political groups in this House, starting with the PPE Group.

  Siegfried Mureşan, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Madam President, I should like to welcome Prime Minister Trudeau. Welcome to Europe. Thank you for addressing the people of Europe today and thank you very much for choosing the European Parliament to address the people of Europe today.

Canadian soldiers have fought for democracy and freedom in Europe throughout the First World War and throughout the Second World War. We have seen, we have known, we have felt, that we can rely on the people of Canada and on Canada when it comes to defending freedom and democracy in Europe. And today, Prime Minister, you came again to Europe to defend a European country, and for this, we all in Europe and all of us in the free world say thank you.

The partnership between Canada and the European Union is a long one, is a strong one. It is based on democracy. It is based on the rule of law. It is based on equality. It is based on the freedom of speech. And now is the time for all free nations to stand up in the name of these values, to be united and defend Ukraine. Because defending Ukraine means defending Europe and it means defending the free world.

The rules that our western societies are built on are good for the people, and now is the time to reject the habits and the lack of rules on which the regime of Vladimir Putin is based on. Now is the time for all of us to say no to threat, to exclusion, to hate, to fear, to intimidation because we have all seen that after the people of central and eastern Europe have defeated Communism 30 years ago, choosing transatlantic values, choosing the European Union, choosing NATO membership, brought safety, stability and prosperity to central and eastern European countries. And if this is what the people of Ukraine choose for their country, it is our duty as European Union and as Canada to stand by the side of the people of Ukraine together.

This is the first and most important thing that we have to do: to answer the call of the people of Ukraine. The second thing is to be united. And I believe this is what citizens in Europe and in Canada expect of us, because we have seen people in Helsinki, in Tallinn, in Prague, in Berlin, in Paris, in Warsaw, going on the streets in defending Ukraine, exactly as people of Canada have gone to the streets, to Montreal, to Hamilton, to Edmonton, to Toronto and to Canada in the past weeks. We have to be united, this is what the people expect of us and we have shown unity already in the last weeks by acting together when it came to sanctions.

But I believe dear colleagues, I believe, Prime Minister, as you have also said, we have to do more when it comes to sanctions. Maximum support to Ukraine, but also maximum possible cost for the Russian Federation. We have to enlarge the list of Russian politicians, enlarge the list of Russian businesspeople and oligarchs who we sanctioned. We have to tell them very clearly: no more skiing in the Alps, no more shopping in Paris or Vienna, no more sunbathing in Nice or on the coasts of Europe as long as the regime which they are supporting in Russia is invading a free country. We have to close loopholes. We have to forbid access to public procurement for Russian companies, be it private or public, here in the European Union and also in Canada. And we have to reduce our dependency on Russian fossil fuels as much as possible and as soon as possible.

We have to be honest and transparent also to the people in our countries in telling them that defending democracy costs, but not defending democracy would cost even more. Now is the time for leadership. It is the time for unity. It is the time for defending the European values, the transatlantic values, the alliances that we are together in, which have proven the test of time, they stood the test of time.

Thank you once again very much for coming to Europe today, for speaking to us in the Parliament, for showing your solidarity. It is always good to know that we have friends in these times.

  Iratxe García Pérez, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señora presidenta, señor primer ministro Trudeau, bienvenido al Parlamento Europeo. Comparece usted ante el corazón de una democracia europea que puede y debe sentir suya, porque también fue construida con el valor de los canadienses que hace ochenta años sacrificaron sus vidas en este continente para devolver la democracia y la libertad a Europa. Fue tiempo después, con la caída del Muro de Berlín en 1989, cuando nos adentramos en un horizonte de esperanza que creíamos que nunca más retrocedería en el tiempo. Sentíamos que viviríamos siempre en paz, basándonos en el multilateralismo y sin países satélites ni amenazas nucleares.

Hoy, la guerra criminal de Putin sobre Ucrania ha cambiado el orden civil y político. Esta barbarie imperialista nos traslada a la lucha entre las democracias y las autocracias del siglo anterior, como si no hubiéramos aprendido nada del sufrimiento de ese «mundo de ayer» del que hablaba Stefan Zweig. La tragedia de Ucrania ha impulsado en Canadá, en los Estados Unidos y en la Unión Europea una respuesta común impensable, con la que estamos caminando más lejos de lo que hicimos en 2014 tras la anexión de Crimea.

Juntos hemos convertido a Putin en un paria internacional con graves perjuicios para su economía. Y juntos debemos y podemos hacer mucho más: cortar el acceso de Rusia a las bolsas de criptomonedas, perseguir a los paraísos fiscales que protegen a los oligarcas y estrechar nuestra cooperación. Porque si queremos liberarnos para siempre de las tiranías, juntos debemos liderar una transición global, cimentada también en las energías renovables.

La irrupción de la guerra en Europa ha puesto al descubierto la necesidad de dotar a la Unión Europea de medios propios. Por primera vez hemos acordado aportar mil millones de euros en ayuda militar para un tercer Estado, cuyos valores democráticos son la última frontera con el agresor. Para detener a Putin, Canadá y los aliados europeos también debemos asumir nuestros compromisos con la OTAN, incluyendo un gasto en defensa del 2 % del PIB.

Construir un futuro mejor exige promover los valores democráticos no solo con palabras, sino con hechos, demostrando que nuestros valores ofrecen una vida más digna que las autocracias. Uno de los valores transatlánticos es la solidaridad, un espíritu de acogida que ahora debemos fortalecer ante el éxodo de refugiados que huyen del terror.

Esta situación nos exige estar a la altura y luchar contra las desigualdades en el corazón de la agenda transatlántica. Porque solo un modelo social basado en la igualdad de oportunidades podrá desactivar a la extrema derecha que Putin sostiene a ambos lados del Atlántico.

Señor Trudeau, si en este largo y difícil camino mantenemos la unidad trasatlántica, Putin claudicará y pasará sus últimos días, esperamos, ante la Corte Penal Internacional. La Historia nos ha enseñado que ninguna guerra de ocupación se gana, por muy poderoso que sea el ejército invasor. El espíritu de 1989 seguirá vivo gracias a la fortaleza transatlántica y al valor del pueblo ucraniano.

  Malik Azmani, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, I should like to welcome Prime Minister Trudeau to the European Parliament. Welcome to the House of European democracy.

As a member of our Liberal family, Renew Europe is particularly honoured to have you here in our midst. The west is not a geographical place. It’s a set of values and institutions. It entails freedom, democracy and the rule of law. We share this, Prime Minister, your great nation and our Union we hold so dear. We are partners and allies bound to each other through history, tradition and shared values.

Brave Canadians have sacrificed their lives on this continent, defending our freedom. Because of Putin’s brutal war, people are dying on this continent once again, defending freedom and democracy, and this is unacceptable. And together we stand with the brave Ukrainian people.

Autocracy is gaining ground. The ‘End of history’ has been postponed. Autocratic dictators around the world are trying to undo the rules-based world older. They are threatening our way of life. Democrats need to stand firm. We should stand shoulder to shoulder and confront this fundamental threat together. Transatlantic relations should be at the core of our common stance once more.

Your leadership and engagement has set a strong example. Canada has stood firm with this continent in a time of need, and in need we find ourselves once more, Prime Minister. As long as Putin does not cross the ‘golden bridge to retreat’, we need to act swiftly with a firm hand and act as one. Peacefulness, predictability and Putin do not go hand-in-hand.

We see the world with new eyes now, and complacency is a luxury we can no longer afford. Whether in the Arctic or in the Baltics, our alliance must hold. We must work together to further isolate Putin’s economy. We need to help each other in gaining energy independence so we can stop financing Putin’s war. And we need to remain strongly committed to our defence of the NATO alliance. This also means living up to the 2% spending norm. This is a sensitive topic amongst many members of our alliance, but I think we need to be clear: freedom does not come cheap. And yes, this European Union will need to step up its effort to build a strong military pillar within NATO. The EU and NATO are not two separate security providers. We are both united and complementary.

Let me finish, dear Prime Minister, by echoing statements made by your government. We will not stand idly by while a nation seeks to erode the international norms that have kept us safe since the end of World War II.

Dear Prime Minister, we share a long, common history. We are partners, allies and friends. Once again, we face a common threat. Once again, we shall stand together as one. Once again, in unity, we shall overcome.

  Ernest Urtasun, au nom du groupe Verts/ALE. – Madame la Présidente, je souhaite à monsieur le Premier ministre la bienvenue au Parlement européen. Le Canada est depuis de nombreuses décennies un proche partenaire et ami de l’Union européenne, et aussi de l’Ukraine. Au nom du groupe des Verts, je tiens à vous remercier, vous et les nombreux Canadiens qui ont fait preuve de clarté et de détermination en soutenant l’Ukraine en ces heures dramatiques.

Nous le savons bien, il ne s’agit pas simplement d’une guerre entre deux pays, mais d’une attaque brutale contre un ordre international fondé sur le droit et la démocratie, et non sur la force des bombes. Au moment où nous parlons, Poutine commet des crimes de guerre en Ukraine, en bombardant des jardins d’enfants et des hôpitaux, et nous devons soutenir la lutte des Ukrainiens contre cette invasion, dans l’unité comme nous l’avons fait.

L’Union européenne et le Canada sont appelés, Monsieur le Premier Ministre, à travailler ensemble pour défendre, dans les prochaines décennies, une architecture globale fondée sur le droit international et la défense des droits de l’homme devant les menaces croissantes des autoritarismes.

I would like to thank you, Prime Minister, particularly for opening the doors to the Ukrainian refugees, helping those who are most in need. I would like to wholeheartedly thank the Canadian people for that.

But here in Europe, dear Prime Minister, we have also made mistakes. Putin’s fossil-fuelled war must wake us up. Our energy transition is today not only an urgency for tackling climate change, but also a matter of security and international stability. Climate change is one of the biggest threats that humankind has faced in the last centuries, and we need to act urgently. Also in Canada, Prime Minister, where fossil-fuel infrastructure is still being built, where net zero is only planned to be reached by 2050 without any intermediate target, where tar sands, one of the most climate-polluting sources of oil, have been expanded. You may allow me, friends and partners need also to be honest and frank to each other.

Our collective addiction to fossil fuel is a security risk now. In Europe and in Canada, it is a destabilising factor. It is a threat to peace. And Canada and Europe should urgently change the course of action if we want to abide to the commitments of the Paris Agreement.

It’s very good to be strong supporters of multilateralism, as we are, and believe strongly in multilateralism, but we should live up to the promises, then, of the Paris Agreement and move forward to action. It is our responsibility. It is your responsibility, Prime Minister.

We are hundreds of millions of people to build another future in Europe and Canada. In the face of this brutal attack in Ukraine, in the face of an authoritarian backlash in the world, let’s work together. And let’s work together, not building our societies in old, short-sighted policies, but really based on our common wish to live in a peaceful world and on an habitable planet.

Merci beaucoup, Monsieur le Premier Ministre, pour votre solidarité et pour votre présence parmi nous aujourd’hui.

  Marco Zanni, a nome del gruppo ID. – Grazie Presidente, benvenuto Presidente Trudeau, bentornato al Parlamento europeo. È una grande opportunità per questo Parlamento dibattere con lei alla vigilia di incontri così importanti che hanno la necessità di mostrare come l'Occidente sia unito nel dare una risposta coordinata ed efficiente all'invasione russa dell'Ucraina.

Un'unità con la quale, fino ad ora, l'Europa si sta muovendo di concerto con la sua e molte altre importanti nazioni del mondo. Signor Primo ministro, vorrei cogliere l'occasione, alla sua presenza, per ricordare come, dopo anni di crisi, abbiamo la necessità di far sì che l'Alleanza Atlantica venga rafforzata non soltanto in un periodo di crisi e di emergenza come quello attuale, ma in modo costante e costruttivo, e soprattutto nell'accezione originaria dell'Alleanza, che è un'accezione deterrente e non offensiva.

Valorizzare quindi, appunto, la funzione della NATO come unione di forze che percorrono la via della pace a contrasto di chi tutt'oggi continua a mettere a rischio la sicurezza comune. Proprio ieri il Presidente ucraino Zelensky, parlando al Parlamento del mio paese, al Parlamento italiano, invitava l'Unione europea a utilizzare in modo efficace lo strumento della diplomazia e del dialogo, e con questo ribadendo implicitamente i principi stessi che ispirano appunto la modalità d'azione dell'Alleanza Atlantica.

Faccio un'altra considerazione, Presidente Trudeau. Nemmeno a lei, ovviamente, sarà sfuggito come il mondo stia rapidamente spostando il proprio asse verso nuovi equilibri geopolitici. Ne abbiamo avuto, purtroppo, recente dimostrazione guardando il voto all'Assemblea delle Nazioni Unite sulla risoluzione per la condanna all'invasione russa. Le forze occidentali, da un lato, si sono espresse senza esitazioni, compatte, ma un gran numero di Stati, quelli più popolosi, quelli che detengono la maggior parte delle risorse del pianeta, hanno voluto dare un segnale differente che va ben oltre il testo della risoluzione. Un segnale che deve essere compreso nel suo significato più profondo, e spero che questo sia un tema centrale dei vostri dibattiti nei prossimi giorni.

Il conflitto in Ucraina ci sta mettendo di fronte a nuove importanti scelte e a nuove sfide. Siamo a oggi alle prese con un mondo che non è più improntato al solo modello occidentale, ma è tornato multipolare. Questo non significa che l'Occidente non debba essere il punto di riferimento, anzi deve ritrovare la propria convinzione e la forza per dimostrare che i modelli democratici sono quelli vincenti e che la violenza, l'oppressione e le dittature non possono mai essere la soluzione.

Per fare questo serve riappropriarsi appieno dei nostri valori e della nostra identità sul piano politico, sociale, culturale e anche economico con chi crede che l'orgoglio di un modello di sviluppo che non si basa su guerre e sopraffazioni, ma sul rispetto dei popoli e delle loro libertà, valori che non possiamo mettere in discussione né ora né mai.

Di fronte alla follia –, e mi avvio a chiudere Presidente, è il momento della razionalità e speriamo davvero che questo sia il principio fondamentale che guiderà le vostre scelte in questi giorni drammatici e importanti. In bocca al lupo perché abbiamo bisogno di una leadership occidentale forte che riporti pace e equilibrio nel nostro continente e nel mondo.

  Raffaele Fitto, a nome del gruppo ECR. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, benvenuto signor Primo ministro Trudeau, il Presidente ucraino Zelensky, prima in quest'Aula e poi nel Parlamento canadese, ha sottolineato che gli ucraini stanno difendendo i valori che formano i pilastri di tutti i paesi liberi e democratici e che l'unità di questi paesi è ora più importante che mai.

Per questo credo, signor Primo ministro, che la sua presenza oggi qui tra noi abbia un forte valore, innanzitutto simbolico, e testimonia il forte legame e spirito di cooperazione tra il suo paese, l'Unione europea e i diversi Stati membri. Nel 2014 il Canada è stato uno dei primi paesi a sostenere il governo di Kiev e la sovranità e l'integrità territoriale dell'Ucraina. Sostegno che non è mancato lo scorso giugno, al termine del summit Unione europea-Canada, e che oggi credo sia ancora una volta importante sottolineare, ribadendo il nostro impegno comune anche attraverso ulteriori sforzi e azioni da intraprendere nei prossimi giorni in tutte le sedi opportune per mettere fine all'offensiva russa.

La crisi russo-ucraina ha evidenziato la necessità da parte dell'Unione europea di tornare ad occuparsi e a investire in difesa e sicurezza, ma anche di rinnovare e rafforzare la cooperazione con i nostri partner tradizionali come il Canada, ai quali siamo legati non solo dalla comune appartenenza alla NATO, ma anche da accordi e legami bilaterali.

Unione europea e NATO, mai come in queste settimane, hanno intrapreso azioni coordinate ed efficaci in risposta all'aggressione russa e a sostegno dell'Ucraina e del suo popolo, dimostrando una unità e una determinazione senza precedenti, dalla quale dovremmo trarre insegnamento per affrontare le sfide future, non solo dal punto di vista militare ma anche per quanto riguarda la cibersicurezza, il rafforzamento della capacità di intelligence e il contrasto al terrorismo e alle minacce ibride.

Le relazioni transatlantiche e la cooperazione Unione europea-NATO, nel pieno rispetto dei principi stabiliti nei trattati e di quelli concordati dal Consiglio europeo, sono elementi essenziali rispetto ai quali dovremo agire insieme con maggiore unità e complementarietà, se vogliamo affrontare con successo le sfide geopolitiche e di sicurezza comune che dovremo affrontare nei prossimi anni.

  Nikolaj Villumsen, on behalf of The Left Group. – Madam President, I should like to welcome Prime Minister Trudeau back to Brussels. It is dark times, as you rightly said.

In my housing block we have now new neighbours. I met them the other day when I was at the playground with my eldest daughter. Here we met Misha and Roma, two small boys from Ukraine at the ages of eight and four. Together with their mother they have fled Putin’s invasion. Like a million more they need shelter, they need shoes, and they need food.

We need to stand together in solidarity to help the refugees. That is why I am happy to hear that Canada will take an unlimited number of refugees. Taking care of refugees cannot be a question about numbers. It is about human lives and human rights. I hope the EU and Canada can unite on this and I hope our unity will go further. We need to strengthen the sanctions. We need to cancel the Ukrainian foreign debt. We need to support Ukraine.

Dear colleagues, we need to do our utmost to support Ukraine. It is clear that Putin is exploiting the EU’s dependency on Russian gas, oil and nuclear power. Our best weapon against Putin is a green transition and energy independence. It is not only about security. It is, of course, also about tackling the climate crisis before it is too late.

Mr Prime Minister, listening to the news, it is clear that there is an urgent need for humanitarian corridors in Mariupol and the besieged cities in Ukraine. Moreover, there is a need to make sure that Putin and other war criminals do not repeat the horrors that we see in Ukraine. We need to strengthen the international order under the UN. We need to make sure that all countries have freedom and self-determination.

Mr Prime Minister, we need peace, not war.

  Mislav Kolakušić (NI). – Poštovana predsjednice, poštovane kolege, dragi građani, premijeru Trudeau, sloboda, pravo izbora, pravo na život i zdravlje, pravo na rad, za mnoge od nas to su temeljna ljudska prava za koja su milijuni građana Europe i svijeta položili svoje živote. Za obranu naših prava i prava naše djece koje smo stjecali stoljećima mnogi od nas, uključujući i mene, spremni smo riskirati vlastitu slobodu i položiti vlastite živote.

Nažalost, danas su među nama i oni koji gaze te temeljne vrijednosti. Kanada, nekada simbol modernog svijeta je pod vodstvom vaše kvazi-liberalne čizme proteklih mjeseci postala simbol kršenja temeljnih ljudskih prava i građanskih sloboda.

Gledali smo kako konjima gaze žene, kako samohranim roditeljima blokirate bankovne račune da ne mogu platiti djeci školovanje, da ne mogu platiti lijekove, da ne mogu platiti račune za struju i vodu, da ne mogu platiti rate kredita za svoje domove.

Za vas to možda liberalne metode, međutim za mnoge građane svijeta to je diktatura najgore vrste. Budite uvjereni da građani svijeta udruženi mogu zaustaviti svaki režim koji želi uništiti slobodu građana, bilo bombama bilo štetnim farmaceutskim proizvodima.

  President. – Thank you, dear colleagues. Thank you once again, Prime Minister, for being with us. We look forward to having you here quite soon again.

That concludes the debate.

VORSITZ: EVELYN REGNER
Vizepräsidentin