K. Mitsotakis briefs the Parliament on Tuesday on the developments in Ukraine

Next Tuesday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will brief Parliament on developments in Ukraine.

“I hope and wish that there is absolute national solidarity to face this great challenge, because it is not really time, in such a critical, global geopolitical situation, to let any micropolitical interests or aspirations dominate the public debate. I ask all of them “Greeks from all political parties have unity, composure, prudence, but also self-confidence”, he stressed, in the dialogue he had with the President of the Republic.

Mr. Mitsotakis, looking at yesterday’s extraordinary Summit, noted that the European Union has shown unity and solidarity, taking decisions on very important sanctions, which, as he said, will hit the Russian economy very hard. “But there is no doubt that we are at the beginning of a new era and that the geopolitical turmoil that will be caused will also have economic consequences. But the price of freedom, for which we must fight, is very high. Our country “He has always been in the 201 years of independence and the struggle for freedom, with the right side of history, and he will do the same now,” he said.

The entire dialogue between the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic is as follows:

K. Mitsotakis: You have just arrived from Brussels, after an overnight Summit.

February 24, 2022, Madam President, has been a dark day for Europe. For the first time since World War II, there has been an organized and massive invasion of a European state. And after the drama and tragedy of the greatest war in human history, a united Europe was built on two basic assumptions. The first was that no European state would have hegemonic ambitions and the second was the inviolability of borders. Unfortunately, both of these assumptions, on which the whole edifice of European architectural security was built, were dispelled after yesterday’s Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The European Union has shown unity and solidarity, yesterday taking decisions on very important sanctions, which will hit the Russian economy very hard. There is no doubt, however, that we are at the beginning of a new era and that the geopolitical turmoil that will ensue will also have economic consequences. But the price of freedom, for which we must fight, is very high. Our country has always been, in 201 years of independence and struggle for freedom, on the right side of history, and will do the same now.

At the moment we should be ready for major upheavals in the energy market, so I am glad that my proposal for the Commission to work out and submit proposals immediately on how we can support consumers and businesses at European level has been accepted. We look forward to discussing these proposals at the next European Council.

It is also clear that all European leaders – including me, including Greece – who spoke out strongly about the need for a European strategic autonomy were right. The need for Europe itself to have a strong deterrent, but also for the Member States to invest more in their national defense, is now an inescapable reality and will be a European priority. After all, we have already begun to do so.

We must also, as European countries, and as open, liberal, pluralistic democracies, be fully vigilant about the disinformation campaigns and cyber-attacks that we may accept. The price of protecting freedom of expression can not be turned into an alibi to allow such intrusion into the very democratic dialogue of our countries.

Finally, Greece will stand by the Greek communities of Ukraine, especially in Mariupol, and in case there are Greeks who want to leave, we will welcome them with open arms, but at the same time we must support the other countries of Eastern Europe. which will receive strong refugee flows. As these countries helped us when Greece accepted its own attack on our borders in Evros, so we must stand by them and offer them humanitarian aid, so that they can receive the tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of refugees. , who may seek refuge in these countries.

Greece, Madam President, is a country that has always fought for the enforcement of international law. Consequently, this crisis highlights with even greater intensity the need to defend an international system of rules, which at its core will be the inviolability of borders and international law. This is what we have done, this is what we are doing and this is what we will continue to do with even greater intensity.

Let me tell you that I will inform the national delegation about the developments in Ukraine next Tuesday morning in an extraordinary sitting, which I have already requested from the Speaker of Parliament. I hope and wish that there will be absolute national solidarity to face this great challenge, because it is not really time, in such a critical, global geopolitical situation, to let any micropolitical interests or aspirations dominate the public debate. I ask all Greeks and all political parties for unity, composure, prudence, but also self-confidence.

K. Sakellaropoulou: Mr. President, I agree that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the first such significant attack on an independent and sovereign state, after World War II, when we now thought that these issues had been resolved.

We all know that the European Union started out as an economic union for steel and coal, but it soon evolved into its current form. And what we are defending, the importance we are attaching to it, are precisely the values ​​that Europe is defending, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, freedom of expression, rights.

So I think the stake at the moment is the overall value system of both the European Union and a European country that believed in those values. Possibly this is hidden in the conflict we have. That is why Europe must remain united, as it seems to be at the moment, in the face of the difficulties of sanctions. It is very important for Europe to have a single voice, it is its weakness that it does not have a common foreign policy, what you stressed about strategic autonomy is very useful to see.

I also think of these people. No one expected to become a refugee, nor did he have any reason. The Ukrainian people, who are suffering at the moment, really should have the opportunity to stay in their place, and be able to persuade Russia to withdraw its army so that this crisis can end. May this be the solution and not the next ones, which you said and which of course I fully share. If there is a wave of refugees, these people must be supported, as must the Member States that will accept them. I would also say that the Member States must give up – and that is where the efforts of all of us are intensifying – their individual economic interests in the face of the need to defend European values. I consider this to be the most critical moment.