Europe is in a fight

This must be Europe's

independence moment.

A new Europe

must emerge.

Freedom and independence

are what

the people of Ukraine

are fighting for every day.

Sasha was only 11 years old

when the Russians attacked.

They took Sasha and his mum.

But Sasha did not give up.

Every abducted

child must be returned.

This war needs to end with a

just and lasting peace

for Ukraine.

This is Russia’s war

and it is Russia

that should pay on the basis

of the immobilised

Russian assets.

Europe will frontload

€6 billion and enter

into a drone alliance

with Ukraine.

Europe must be ready to take responsibility

for its own security.

We launched Readiness 2030

up to EUR 800 billion of defence investment.

This includes the SAFE programme

that is now ready to provide €150 billion

Europe will defend every square cm of its territory.

What is happening

in Gaza

has shaken

the conscience of the world.

Man-made famine

can never be a weapon of war.

This must stop.

We will put our

bilateral support

to Israel on hold.

without affecting our work

with Israeli

civil society or Yad Vashem.

We will propose sanctions

on the extremist ministers

and on violent settlers.

And we will also propose

a partial suspension

of the Association Agreement

on trade related matters.

We will set up a Palestine Donor group next month.

Europe's goal

has always been the same:

Real security

for Israel

and a safe present

and future

for all Palestinians.

And that means that hostages

must be released,

that there should

be unrestrained

access to all

humanitarian aid,

and that there must be

an immediate ceasefire.

Europe's independence

will depend

on its ability to compete,

and this is why we will

massively invest

in digital and clean tech.

Major investments

in young, fast

growing companies.

We are massively investing

in the European

AI Gigafactories,

and we must also

take the same approach

on clean tech.

From steel to batteries.

We will launch a Battery-Booster package

We have to be faster, smarter

and we have to

be more European.

This is why,

I will present a Single-Market roadmap

to 2028.

And we must stay the course

on our climate

and environmental goals.

This is a must.

The transition must

support people.

Europe must

protect its industry.

They are doing

the right thing

to decarbonise

and they should be rewarded

and incentivised.

Workers must be empowered

if we are to have

a competitive economy.

And that is why

we will propose

a Quality Jobs Act.

To ensure

that modern employment

keeps pace

with the modern economy.

We will lay out our plan

to help erradicate poverty by 2050.

And we will also put forward

a series of packages

on affordability and the cost of living.

We will propose a new Grids Package.

Because Europeans need

affordable energy right now.

We will present the first ever

European Affordable Housing Plan.

To make housing more affordable,

more sustainable

and of better quality.

Millions of Europeans

want to buy

affordable European cars.

And this is why we will propose

to work with industry

on a new Small Affordable Car initiative.

Our trading relationship

with the United States

is our most important,

and we ensure

that Europe

got the best

possible deal out there.

Whether environmental

or digital regulation,

we set our own standards,

we set our own regulation.

Europe will always decide

for itself.

We need to double down

on diversification

and on partnerships

like Mexico, like Mercosur,

or finalising negotiations

on a historic deal

with India.

The Commission

announced the

Choose Europe package

of €500 million

to attract

and retain

the best scientists

and researchers.

Europe's independence

is about protecting

our freedoms.

The rise in information

manipulation and disinformation

is dividing our societies.

This is why we urgently need

a European Democracy Shield.

So we need to do more

to protect our media

and our independent press.

And this is why we will launch

a new Media Resilience Programme

When it comes to kids

safety online,

Europe believes in parents

and not in profits.

We in Europe must be the ones

to decide who comes to us and in what circumstances.

We need a system that is humane,

but we must not be naïve about it.

We must be serious about returning

rejected asylum seekers

to their home countries.

We all saw the pictures

of Europe's

forests and villages on fire.

We will propose

to create a new European

firefighting hub

based in Cyprus.

Lieutenant Nikolaos Paisios,

your courage is an inspiration

to all of us.

This is Europe

as one community

and that is

what I will strive for

every single day

with you.

Long live Europe!