Brussels, March 23, 2022
Speaking in the European Parliament debate in preparation of this week’s European Council meeting, President of Renew Europe, Stéphane Séjourné, called for tougher sanctions against Putin’s regime, humanitarian assistance and the transformation of our continent to deliver European sovereignty:
‘European unity must not turn into a feeling of helplessness. The images of Ukraine’s suffering and desolation must spur us on to further sanctions, aid to Ukraine, and strategic autonomy. Tougher sanctions must be enacted to cut off the regime’s funding and coordination is needed on the reception of refugees to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe.’
Renew Europe has consistently supported the European Commission’s geopolitical ambition. We ask for clear action to transform our continent and enhance European sovereignty:
‘A powerful Europe requires energy independence; it demands food sovereignty, strategic industrial autonomy and a European defence. We know that 5,000 soldiers in a rapid reaction force will not be enough. It would be naive to believe that we will succeed without profound revolutions in our internal organisation, our economy and our Community strategies.’
‘We need to define common objectives of sovereignty, to quantify the financial needs to achieve them and revise upwards the ambitions of our reforms. Only then, far from the status quo, will we be able to meet our only duty: to protect our citizens and defend our allies in whatever the world throws at us.’
Source – Renew Europe (via e-mail)