00:00As President Macron said in Davos, Europe is sometimes too slow, for sure, and needs to be reformed, for sure.
00:08But we know that Russia's endgame is not Donbass.
00:12Beyond Ukraine, Russia already seeks to cripple economies through cyberattacks, disrupt satellites, sabotage undersea cables, fracture alliances with disinformation,
00:25coerce countries by weaponizing oil and gas, and of course, there is also the nuclear threat.
00:31Russia is no superpower.
00:33After more than a decade of a conflict, including four years of full-scale war in Ukraine, Russia has barely
00:41advanced beyond the 2014 lines.
00:45And the cost? 1.2 million casualties.
00:49Today, Russia is broken. Its economy is in shreds.
00:53It is disconnected from the European energy markets, and its own citizens are fleeing.
00:59The greatest threat Russia presents right now is that it gains more at the negotiation table than it has achieved
01:07on the battlefield.
01:09Excellencies, dear friends, I want to start with some appreciation for the marvel-inspired of this panel, Europeans Assemble.
01:19And we're getting there, dusting off our capes, pulling up our boots, revving up our engines.
01:27Europeans also know what this fight is for.
01:30Not only our excellent living standards, health and happiness, but lessons we have learned from our own history.
01:38Contrary to what some may say, woke, decadent Europe, is not facing civilizational erasure.
01:47In fact, people still want to join our club, and not just fellow Europeans.
01:53When I was in Canada last year, I was told that over 40% of Canadians have an interest in
02:00joining the European Union.
02:02So the waiting list is quite long.
02:04I just hope that those who have been waiting for quite some time would not have to wait for longer.
02:12As the polls show, those who are already members, want their union to take a stronger role in the world.
02:19To defend our values, to take care of our people, and to push humanity forwards.
02:26As President Macron said in Davos, Europe is sometimes too slow, for sure, and needs to be reformed, for sure.
02:35But we absolutely know what we are and what we stand for.
02:42I agree that there is an urgent need to reclaim European agency.
02:48Three priorities.
02:49First, Europe's defense.
02:52This starts in Ukraine.
02:54But we know that Russia's endgame is not Donbass.
02:57Beyond Ukraine, Russia already seeks to cripple economies through cyberattacks,
03:02disrupt satellites, sabotage undersea cables, fracture alliances with disinformation,
03:10coerce countries by weaponizing oil and gas, and of course, there is also the nuclear threat.
03:17To respond to these challenges in a coherent and systematic way,
03:22I'm working closely with Ursula von der Leyen on a new European security strategy.
03:28This strategy will address all dimensions of European security,
03:33from hard security and defense, to economic security and preparedness.
03:39Because in today's world, security is indivisible.
03:43But let's be clear-eyed about Russia.
03:46Russia is no superpower.
03:48After more than a decade of a conflict, including four years of full-scale war in Ukraine,
03:54Russia has barely advanced beyond the 2014 lines.
04:00And the cost?
04:011.2 million casualties.
04:04Today, Russia is broken.
04:06Its economy is in shreds.
04:08It is disconnected from the European energy markets.
04:11And its own citizens are fleeing.
04:13In fact, the greatest threat Russia presents right now is that it gains more at the negotiation table
04:22than it has achieved on the battlefield.
04:26And on the topic of negotiations,
04:28what matters more than having a seat at the table is knowing what to ask when you are sitting there.
04:36How I see it is very simple.
04:39Russia's maximalist demands cannot be met with minimalist response.
04:45Think about it.
04:46If Ukraine's military is to be limited in size, Russia should be too.
04:52Where Russia has caused damage in Ukraine, Russia should pay.
04:56No amnesty for war crimes, return of the Ukrainian deported children.
05:03This is really the very least Russia should agree if peace is Russia's goal.
05:09But as we suspect it is not Russia's goal,
05:13Europe is rearming and doing so together with our friends.
05:17The second priority is stability in the European neighborhood, east and south.
05:24This is where Europe has most agency.
05:27Our priority here is enlargement, the antidote to Russian imperialism.
05:32Since 1990, states that freed themselves from the Soviet domination
05:37and joined the European Union have grown more than twice as fast as Russia.
05:44In 1990, Russians were twice as rich as Poles.
05:48Today, Poles are roughly 70% richer than Russians.
05:53I also agree with the historian Timothy Snyder,
05:56who writes that European enlargement is vital for securing democracy
06:01and overcoming Europe's own imperial history.
06:05Today, enlargement is a geopolitical choice, and we must say yes.
06:10Our third priority is international partnerships.
06:13Take trade, for example.
06:15The European Union has built the largest free trade network in the world.
06:19Close to 80 countries are now covered by EU trade agreements.
06:25And on top of trade, we are creating partnerships on security and defense.
06:30Ten so far, including India and Australia this year alone.
06:35Countries want to diversify their partnerships to manage the risks in the rougher world,
06:41including a constant threat of tariffs.
06:43They want to find joint solutions to digital challenges from standards to semiconductors,
06:50because vast majority of the countries also want the same thing.
06:54Stability, growth, prosperity for their people.
06:59The best way to get there is to go together.
07:02To conclude, we hear the call to action, Europeans assemble,
07:07and let me take more inspiration from the Marvel Universe.
07:11Heroes are made by the paths they choose,
07:17not the powers that they are graced with.
07:21Europe's path is clear.
07:23Defend Europe, secure our neighborhood,
07:25and build partnerships across the globe.
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