- Speaker #0
EQ Radio, your one-stop podcast to stay updated with the European Union. Hi everyone, I'm Axel, your host. Allow me to give you the warmest welcome those host your waifs can carry to EQ Radio, a brand new podcast by your European, for Europeans, where you're going to listen to me blabber in the thickest French accent possible about the European Union, its 27 countries and the world around us. So, what's awaiting us today? First of all, what the EU institutions has been up to these last two weeks. So many things have been happening, but we are going to focus on the two main events, the call for a rearmament and the ongoing trend war with the United States of America. Then there will be a focus on a special woman that helped Europe to get better. Then we will see what the will to make Europe stronger, more independent can create. And I will conclude with a final thought on Europe's current situation. But first, no matter if you went straight to this podcast, or wander to a link, you might ask yourself, what's the story behind EQ Radio? Why and eventually how it came to be? Well, that won't come as a surprise, we all see the news. Europe appears surrounded. In the east, war rages in Ukraine for its third year, fending off the Russian aggressor. Yeah, for the three-day special operation, it's going super swell as you can imagine. People are being killed, cities are being destroyed, the environment as well. All of this disregarding more than 20 years of peace on the continent, on a scale unprecedented since the Second World War, 80 years ago. In the West, on the other side of the Atlantic, President Trump and his administration, that is calling us freeloaders or pathetic depending on who you ask, was elected on a platform of hatred. When he's not busy, dismantling his democratic institution, he starts trade war, treat an annexation, or cut head to Ukraine, flanked by a cabal of billionaires tasked with purging the civil service and shutting down dissents. And that's the best case scenarios. The worst case scenarios, they just appear to be nazis. Despite centuries-long alliances and collaboration, both sides now designate the European Union and its partners at best as a rival to dismantle or at worst as an enemy to be invaded and destroyed. Europe is on its own, as you can imagine. But it's not helpless. That's my slogan people. Because what is Europe? It's 450 million people, a nominal GDP of nearly 20 trillion euros. global leaders in science, industry and education. A bastion of democracy, prosperity, freedom and other fundamental rights. A normative power enforcing regulations meant to protect the people, their consumer rights and their environment against corporations and rival states. Against unbridled capitalism, fascism and authoritarianism. A place where we are born equal and free to decide our own fate. An aspiration for numerous other countries who understand what the continent stands for. A dream for millions, we wish to join its union on the continent and beyond. And great people, absolutely great people. Starting with you, dear listener, we will see to get to know them. Of course, it's far from perfect, but it's strong, full of potential, a uniquely successful experiment. But what are those strengths if they stay ignored? If the people think it is worthless? If they are ready to tear it down because they can't see the benefits? If they believe the propaganda that is telling them otherwise? At my modest scale, I'm here to stop that. You heard my slogan, now for my motto. Let's unleash Europe's potential. And that's it for the presentations. Now time to see what the EU Commission, Parliament or Council did for us citizens this week. The corner of the EU institutions, what the work of the Union. Big thanks to my wife for this introduction. She's a professional. For this first episode, we will go several weeks back. A lot has happened and it would be a shame if we ignore that. So let's rewind to March 19th. On that day, the commission presented a significant agenda. First, a quick refresher. The Commission is the EU's primative executive body. It proposes legislation, enforces EU treaties, and ensures that Member States implement EU law and policies. Additionally, it manages the EU's budget and negotiates international agreements on behalf of the EU. In essence, the Commission is a key player in the EU's governance. The Presidents of the EU Member States, collectively known as the European Council, select a Commission President. The President then appoints commissioners who lead teams to address the tasks mentioned above. When the Commission issues proposals, the European Parliament drafts the corresponding laws and works towards their adoption. Complicated, yeah, it is, but we get used to it. So, as I was saying, the Commission gave us a lot to tackle, by issuing a plan. that came as a bombshell, the REARM Europe Plan Readiness 2030 more exactly, and its accompanying white paper. The plan is basically telling us that pan-European defense capabilities may be improved through, well, injection of money. Mindfully injection of money though. Meanwhile, the white paper outlines an approach to defense and pinpoints the necessary investment areas. Think of it as a single package, with the plan giving the strategy, and the white paper the more granular details on how to realize it. Oh, let's address the Rearm Europe plan first. It aims to release the public funding for defence at national level through a new dedicated instrument called SAFE, standing for Security Action for Europe. We love our acronyms. Now, SAFE is itself a proposal issued on the same day, March 19th, that will be the lone instrument to leverage, following the guiding principles that are quite simple. When it comes to defence, members are now expected to buy more, to buy better, to buy together and best of all most of all to buy European. At least 65% of the purchases must be for products coming from EU member states, FTA member states or Ukraine. Key focus on the at least awards. Could be 100% for that matter. It's up to member states to decide. It's a very interesting approach because not only the EU is financing defense, but it encourages common purchases of weapons. Together we buy more, We negotiate better terms than if we were alone, save a lot through economies of scale, and support our economy. Once again, 65% of the purchases must come from EU, FTA, or Ukraine, the poor of the single market people. Now, SAFE represents 150 billion euros, which is born to create appetites and conflicts. And boy, can you imagine it's been the case already? On paper, 35% could be used buying UK or South Korean equipment, right? Well, in the latter case there is no issue. The EU can buy their weapons if they are up to their demands. No question asked. In the UK case however, the EU so... well, fit on behalf of France and other neighbouring countries to tie their eventual participation to fishing rights in UK waters of all things. That certainly came as a blow to European unity and as far as I'm concerned it's the wrong thing to do. In the face of Russian aggressions and American threats to Denmark and Greenland, Being united should be the top priority. Such a move is counterproductive. However, it is also the direct result of the UK leaving the EU, losing in very tangible ways their power to influence EU policies according to their interest. Now, out of the club, they fade the music. Once again, for dumb reasons. Fishing rights are the least of our worries right now. But it's an indicator of the EU power and also that reflects the benefits of Brexit. you can imagine my point of view on that one. But regardless of what I think, that certainly won't convince our British friends to come back though. But enough of that. Those 150 billions are only the tip of the iceberg, because the white paper is next. It recognizes right from its first line the following. Europe faces acute and growing threats. The only way we can unshow peace is to have the readiness, and the name of the plan, to deter those who do us harm. We have many strong foundations, such as our potential to unleash vast resources and latent technological and industrial power, but we are also starting from a position in which our defense readiness has been weakened by decades of under-investments. Our continent is currently being affected by war, aggression and other hostile acts. The European Union has immense wealth and productive power and a deep faith in the importance of democratic values. shared across all member states. But it is being coerced by external actors who are mobilizing their resources and using technology more effectively to achieve their objectives. They are directly threatening our way of life and our ability to choose our own future through democratic processes. They believe that we are politically unable to summon a meaningful and strategically enduring response on all borders. And that the only way we can ensure peace is to have the readiness to enter those who would disarm. We are far from having heads in the sand here people, but we can all agree it took way too long to reach that point. Hell, the only reason this paper came to be right now is thanks to the election of Donald G. Trump as the president of the United States, who made it clear he wasn't going to send its army to safeguard Europe if the need came to arise. Now, regardless of that, this is a right reaction. But why tie yourself to the whims of a foreign power an ocean away? It is the path of least resistance folks. Less money for the army, more for healthcare and infrastructure. At least in the best case scenario. It's a noble sentiment but it didn't prepare the future. Now we have to catch up. So what's the goal of the rearmament? It aims to increase military support for Ukraine, establish a strong and innovative European defense industry, develop the capacity of the member states to execute complex military operations. deter foreign-arm aggression, simplify current legislation, and prepare for the worst-case scenario. And we are back to money to make it happen. Or as they say, investments. In order to acquire the necessary assets soon enough and close the defense capability gaps we are suffering of, on top of SAFE and its loan backed by the EU budget, additional flexibility for higher defense spending will be provided, projecting at least a staggering and most flattering for some of us 650 billion euros funding capability over the next four years. That is big people. very big, some might even say outlandish. But the threat is real, tangible, and can be swept under the rug. Now it's too soon to see if that will be realized or not. There are still depths to deal with. Many nations will be wary of it. But should that be followed, we can count on a 3 European industry defense by 2030. To cap it up, here are the 7 priority areas outlined by the white paper. Air Emissive Defense, to protect against a full spectrum of air threats. Artillery systems, modern artillery and long-range missiles to deliver pre-source attacks. Ammunition and missiles, to stockpile ammunition and ensure sufficient defense industrial production capacity. Drones and counter-drone systems, unmanned systems including aerial, ground, surface and underwater vehicles. Military mobility, networks of land corridors, airports, seaports and other elements to facilitate the transport of troops and military equipment. AI, quantum, cyber and electronic warfare, military AI and quantum computing to ensure the use of the electromagnetic spectrum, suppressing disruption by opponents and protect the freedom to operate in cyberspace, and finally strategic enablers and critical infrastructure protection, airlift and air-to-air refueling aircraft, intelligence and surveillance, maritime domain awareness, use and protection of space, etc. Unsurprisingly, there is no mention of nuclear capabilities. Probably because they are solely held by France within the EU right now, and it's an extremely sensitive topic the EU might not want to appear next to. On that note, it might have meant more strategist sense if the SAFE funds were tied to accessing the UK's nuclear umbrella. However, nuclear capabilities are just one aspect of the broader challenges facing European unity. The white paper is very commandable, but it is focusing heavily on funding and support, probably too heavily. It would have been great to see more emphasis on creating joint military programs. Those familiar with the EQREAD website might already be aware of this perspective. In my Autonomorphosis article, where I call for an urgent metamorphosis towards independence from ocean energy, American military protections, Chinese manufacturing, and big tech corporations, I share four examples outlining internal fractures to either resolve or use as useless cases to never repeat again. Among them, joint military programs. See for yourself. Among them we got the Future Combat Air System a Franco-German-Spanish fighter project plagued by industrial rivalries, resulting in slow progress at best. The Main Ground Combat System a joint Franco-German tank project to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks, facing disagreement over industry shares and requirements. The MARS, for Maritime Airborne Warfare System, a Franco-German project for maritime patrol aircraft that has been abandoned due to shifting priorities. And since they still needed these patrol bombers, Germany decided to buy from Boeing, while France will focus its efforts on designing a specific version of the Airbus A321. There is also the Eurodrone, a joint UAV program delayed by cost overrun technical issues and lack of competitive edge against US and Israeli drones. Of course, not all joint programs are in trouble. If you go to the PESCO website, which means permanent structure cooperation, the youth framework for deeper defense cooperation among member states, we see several close success stories, like the training mission competence centers or the European Medical Command. If your project is going well, there is also ESOR, that stands for European Secure Software Defined Radio, a project aiming to develop European software-defined military radio and thus improve communication over land, maritime and air domain altogether. Even beyond PESCO, there are all their successors like IDF, the European Hypersonic Defense Interceptors. Targeting the 2035 plus threats, weapons and sorcerer systems, it seems to be going well. Thing is, we have no shortage of ambitious programs. But so far, they failed to translate into smooth roadmaps and milestones. More often than not, national interests prevail over joint, larger, bigger and better goals. If all these programs were funded, discussed, engineered competently, without any hindrance. Would European defense require this white paper? Anyway, better late than never. We are going in the right direction and I will make sure to keep covering this. Pesco, if you hear me, give me a call. I have some recommendations to share. And normally that would be the end of the section. But we need to catch up with another big piece of news, the ongoing trade war with the United States. This one is a bit easier to digest though, for reasons you will see. On April 2nd, the American administration threw tariffs at the whole world with a single proclaimed goal, make America rich again. They call that liberation debt. Now I could comment on how turning the whole world against you when you don't account for most of the world economy. might go against that goal, even if just for a tiny little bit. But you saw the impacts of stock markets, and heard that it's going to create a recession akin to what happened the last century, in 1929, that threw millions of people into poverty, and was one of the main factors behind the rise of fascism in Europe, and the beginning of the Second World War. Let's avoid that. We are much less fragmented and motivated by revanchism or hatred than back then. Which is why I want to dive a bit deeper on the EU approach to this trade war. And we have to go back to April 1st for that, with two main announcements. First of all, the Commission revised the EU's cohesion policy in an attempt to better support EU competitiveness and decarbonisation, defence and security, the eastern border regions as well as affordable housing, water resilience and the energy transitions. These amendments come in the context of new strategic priorities. motivated by major geopolitical and economic events such as the war in Ukraine, the rearmament of Europe, the energy crisis, or the upcoming trade war with the United States. Their purpose is to allow member states to redirect cohesion funds to these priorities on a voluntary basis, with their implementation plan to begin in January 2026. And second of all, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered an address to the European Parliament highlighting what she terms the threats to global prosperity and stability and the rise of protectionism and now the commission had a three-pointer strategy to address the situation let us speak for ourselves our strategy builds on three pillars first
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we are open to negotiations we will approach these negotiations from a position of strength europe holds a lot of cards from trade to technology to the size of our market. But this strength is also built on our readiness to take firm countermeasures if necessary. All instruments are on the table. Second, we will keep diversifying our trade with other partners. You mentioned it, Antonio. Our hallmark is not only that we are the biggest market in the world, but that we are reliable and predictable. honor our commitments. And that is exactly what our partners are looking for today. And my third point, we will double down on our single market. The single market is the cornerstone of European integration and values. It's our powerful catalyst for growth, for prosperity, for solidarity. But we have to tear down remaining barriers to have a single market to go big. Because scale matters. And a single market to go fast and to go far.
- Speaker #0
So, what can we learn from that speech? Point 1. The single market is truly the backbone of the Union. And it shows, in the way the leaders discuss about it. The strength is there, and ready to be leveraged. No but, no maybe, no readiness for 2030. Just resolution in the face of adversity. European economy, unlike European defence, is well defined. Built by clear, shared interests. with single national interests allowing themselves to be on the back seats. Leaders and people realize here that we are stronger together and act accordingly. There are expectations born from this, though, for a strong retaliation plan, which is my segue to point 2. The plan is coming, but on its term, and if it's needed. I so call to copy China and retaliate immediately, tariff US exports accordingly. But that's misunderstanding the European economy to begin with. We are tied much more to the US than they are. Our services, our digital infrastructure, is built on their software and tools. No Google, Facebook or Amazon in China, for example. And that's not all. The EU is not China. There is no strongman at the end who single-handedly determines which direction we will follow. We are a collection of 27 countries, all with a voice that matters and must be listened to. Which is why we need time and analysis to first negotiate. as one der Leyen said so we can stop the pain before it is felt and it doesn't work This time, yeah, we retaliate, we truly retaliate. It will come, you can count on that. Not doing so would render the point of the EU moot, as it would not be able to fulfil the very premise upon which it was founded. Stronger together. So keep calm and carry on, as our British friend would say. And finally, point 3, the best of all in my opinion, the most important even, solidarity in more ways than one. En-wars. So, solidarity with the rest of the world first. That's point 3.1. That trip to Central Asia, Van der Leyen mentioned, is now over, and it resulted in a new strategic partnership. According to the press release of the European Council, the EU will provide a 12 billion euros investment package that will finance a project in strengthening transport links that will be the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, and deepening cooperation on critical raw materials digital connectivity, water and energy. Now for point 3.2, intra-European solidarity. Realizing many difficulties lie ahead, the cohesion policy will be retooled to alleviate the consequences of the energy crisis, the trade war and the war in Ukraine. Countries will be allowed to redirect these funds to the new priorities, as the current budget was set in 2021 and 22 before madness settled in. Best described as the EU's main investment policy, It is channeling funds in all regions and cities in the European Union, with a global budget of 392 billion spread over seven years. Such resources make it one of the main programmes of the European Union, all in order to develop or support job creation, business competitiveness, economic growth, sustainable development and improvement to citizen quality of life. While that will unfortunately change, one milestone is for the better, as preparing a viable future Must also come by ensuring long-lasting peace. And we are now finished with that section. 20 minutes in. Time to relax, I say. With... Name of the week, Europe at its peak. Shout out to my wife once more. Love you. It is easy to think of Europe as a juggernaut, a steamroller driven by faceless bureaucrats. But it is first and foremost a project championed by people. And we are going to talk about relevant one in these troubled times. Someone from outside the European Union though, from Ukraine more specifically, to honor their fight. Not Zelensky, that would be too easy. And he would be there for hours. But Alexandra Matvichuk. If I'm saying her name wrong, sorry about that. She's a human rights lawyer. Both organizations won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. So let's dive in. Born in 1983, Mavichuk took her law degree from the National University of Kiev in 2007. But instead of going after corporate gigs, she dove headfirst into the world of human rights. That same year, she joined a team, founding together the Center for Civil Liberties, an organization dedicated to promote democracy and document human rights abuses. Democracy, people. The basis of everything. Life went on for Mavichuk. But things got intense in 2013. See? That's when the Ramadan protests started, triggered by then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych deciding to not sign the European Union-Ukraine Association Agreement, instead choosing closer ties to Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union, despite this agreement being approved by the Ukrainian parliament, only waiting for him to sign. A blow to democracies that she was not going to ignore, and the brutal dispersal of a peaceful student rally in Kiev was the final blow. In response, She's parodied the Euromaridine SOS, a grassroots initiative providing legal aid to protesters and recording instances of abuse with the support of thousands of volunteers. While working for the good of Ukraine, that's when her involvement with the European Union started. She wrote multiple reports for our institutions, all with one goal, defend human rights. Now, fast forward to 2022 and the stakes got even higher. While no stranger with war, other initiatives documented political persecution in occupied Crimea and war crimes in Donbass, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine meant she needed to step up once more, going you could say into overdrive. We are unfortunately talking about gathering evidence on over 80,000 incidents, from attacks on civilians to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. Grim, crucial work to hold the perpetrators accountable. Our relentless pursuit of justice didn't go unnoticed. That same year, as mentioned, Alexandra and the CCL were rewarded the Nobel Peace Prize, sharing the honor with organizations from Russia and Belarus. This marked the first time a Ukrainian entity received this prestigious award. In her acceptance speech, Alexandra emphasized that people's lives cannot be protected without the protection of human rights and the rule of law. Ultimately, It's this speech that made me select her as the first woman to speak about. And while I cannot provide an extract of that speech as she spoke in Ukrainian she is no stranger to the English language. Please listen to these short excerpts of an interview she gave to the Atlantic Council back in October 2024 on her hope for Ukraine and what their victory would mean for the European Union and the world.
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victory very ambitiously. Let me remind how this war was started. This war was started after Revolution of Dignity. And what it was Revolution of Dignity? It was a time when millions of Ukrainians stood up their voice against pro-Russian corrupt and authoritarian governments. And they bravely demonstrated just for a chance to build a country with democratic institutions. So for me personally, victory for Ukraine is to succeed in democratic transition and to win this value dimension of this war. And this is visible. It's not just abstract thing. It's very practical things. For example, when I ask my Russian human rights colleagues who always help us, now we have thousands of illegally detained civilians in Russia. And for us, the only way how to do something It's the hands of our brave Russian colleagues, and they face enormous persecution in Russia itself. You know that human rights organizations were banned. Part of my colleagues have to leave Russia. Part of my colleagues were jailed. Part still working under the constant threats to be killed or arrested. So when I asked them, how we can help you, they always answered, If you want to help us, please be successful, because only success of Ukraine provides a chance for the democratic future of Russia itself.
- Speaker #0
It doesn't come as a surprise that she is a vocal advocate for establishing a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes, arguing that justice is a prerequisite for lasting peace. In her words, if we allow Russia to succeed in this war of annihilation, it will encourage other countries to act similarly. Unfortunately, President Trump of the USA seems to have been one of those encouraged. Today, she keeps fighting the good fight, and has been recognized by the Financial Times as one of the top 25 most influential women in the world. Except I could not find the exact ranking. And continues to engage with global leaders to champion human rights. She is the kind of woman Europe needs, standing for democracy, fundamental rights and peace. But it is only a face among many that makes us proud. So don't feel overwhelmed by the news and remember that there are thousands like Alexandra Matvichuk, fighting and building a better future for all of us. Be vigilant! Stand up for what's right and make your voice heard. That's how it works. Celebrating Europe one action at a time. In unity we shine. Celebrating people is one thing, but they would be nothing without their actions. And we have no shortage of great ones. Only a week ago, on March 30, EISA Aerospace, a private European aerospace company headquartered in Munich, Germany, launched its rocket for its first test flight. The Spaceport of Andorra Island in Northern Norway also marked the occasion as the first orbital launch site in continental Europe. Until now, only Arianespace and their launch space in French Guiana near Brazil was representing European Aerospace. Eiza Aerospace is a very young company, founded in 2018 as a spin-off of Technical University Munich. It is developing and building launch vehicles for transporting small and medium-sized satellites into Earth's orbit. However, their rocket, a two-stage launcher, lifted off and flew for 30 seconds before crashing. Now you might think this is not exactly not worthy, considering the outcome. But keep in mind that aerospace is an exceptionally complex field, often requiring multiple tests over several years to develop a final viable product. In its press release, ISA Aerospace emphasized this point, expressing optimism and determination. Let me quote them. In the first test flight of the company the Spectrum launch vehicle from Andreas Persport in Norway, ISA Aerospace met its set goal. After ignition of its first stage, Spectrum was successfully lifted off at 12.30 pm for its first test flight, lasting approximately 30 seconds. This allowed the company to gather a substantial amount of flight data and experience to apply on future missions. The company added that all expectations were met, as they successfully designed, built and launched the rocket. While this statement is undisputable, the most noteworthy comment, however, came from Daniel Metzler, CEO and co-founder of ISA Aerospace. He emphasised the company's European roots, expressing pride in demonstrating Europe's enduring capacity for bold thinking and grand achievements. Metzler noted that Europe has all the resources needed to create globally competitive technology. For EQ Radio, this tense is precisely what Europe needs to build confidence in its ability to be a truly independent, innovative and daring actor on the global stage. It should however come as no surprise. Given Metzler's past statements about Europe and the European Union, back in 2021, in a rare written interview in Institut Montaigne, he said first of all on the capacity to place payload into orbit, that the decision to make Ariane operational is definitely the right one, but for the next generation of rockets, we really need to redefine our approach to what is best for Europe." What's implied is we cannot rely on only one actor. Europe needs to have multiple heavy launchers at its disposal. Second quote, on recent developments on globally competitive launchers. The support of the Norwegian government for a commercial space port in Andoya and the Diamond launch pad in French Guiana contributes to creating the right conditions for a truly global competitive European ecosystem which in the end will serve the European Union including the French and German government as well as institutional and commercial customers." End quote. Dream big about space, dream big about European space basically. And finally, final quote, and the funds allocated by Europe for its space industry. Space is the backbone of a crucial infrastructure, and committing to it today will secure a strong European standing in the next decade for many industries. End quote. Nothing to add here. Naturally, they were close with ESA, the European Space Agency, securing 15 million euros as part of their boost program to fund their endeavor back in November 2024. Another occasion to remind their close ties to Europe. insisting on why Europe must change its approach to ensuring access to space in the light of the current political events. And why would not they? Brown knows non-European institutions and companies for access to space mean surrendering our sovereignty and capacity to defend our interests, our own way of life. Full independence in absolutely all aspects is the only solution and we are happy to see that Issa Ahrero, Space&Aid CEO, are agreeing on that. With their Earth confirmed to be in the right place, We wish them all the success they can get, and we'll follow their development for the foreseeable future. And that's it for today. Thank you for still being there. But before we wish ourselves goodbye, I want to finish on a final note. Expect them at the beginning of each episode in the future. We are in 2025, and Europe stands alone. The politics of rule of law and democratic principles have faded, giving way to a resurgence of imperialism. America on the beacon of democracy now treats on its neighbor canada panama and greenland russia having invaded ukraine set his sights on the baltics china views taiwan as a problem to be swiftly resolved the world over the numbers of conflicts are stoked and the smoke screen of authoritarianism obscures his dire consequences in a desperate bid to alleviate their hardships people are calling for the dismantling of human rights the end of democracy They call for racial profiling and the subjugation of justice. From Paris, where a far-right leader wishes to evade condemnation for blatant corruption, aided by an autocratic allies who decry any scrutiny as a witch hunt, to Bucharest, where a Russian-funded TikTok campaign swathes 23% of voters to support a man who oppresses their former dictator, denounces science in favor of religious dogma and vilifies feminism at absolute fifths, Europe has become a battleground. Under internal or external pressure, these conflicts are threatened to redefine our way of life. The rule of law, democracy, fundamental rights, medial plurality, solidarity, equity and dignity, all hang in the balance. Freedom of movement, freedom of thoughts, consumer rights, peace and prosperity are at risk. We have witnessed a Russia dissent under Putin and the United States struggle under Trump. There is no reason to believe and yielding to local far-right parties will yield a different outcome. Deportations, imprisonment, second-class citizenship, subjugation to Russia and the dismantling of our societal foundation are inevitable consequences. Europe stands alone, but we are not powerless. Since 1949, with the foundation of the Council of Europe, we have upheld fundamental rights. Since 1951, with the European coal and steel community, we have recognized war as an inevitable outcome. irredeemable evil to be prevented at all costs. Since 1957, with the European Economic Community, we have set economic policies, trade and prosperity as our common ground for a better future. In 1989, we tore down the Berlin Wall. In 1991, we witnessed European countries testing freedom for the first time since World War II. In 2004, we enlarged the European Union on a purely voluntary basis. In 2013, we We supported Ukraine and their right to live in a democracy, a choice they are now paying in blood. Throughout these years, we have cultivated a community dedicated to unity, peace and progress. There was no war to tear down families. No crisis left to its own devices. We have nurtured a continent where cooperation is a cornerstone of our strength. We have created a Europe that stands for more than just geographical boundaries. It embodies hope, resilience and the unyielding pursuit. of a brighter tomorrow. We cannot squander this nearly century-long tradition of doing good, of meaning good, of sharing and of progress. It is our responsibility to stand up and defend this principle, our freedoms and what is right. We must ensure that Europe remains a beacon of hope and solidarity for future generations. Moreover, while Europe may stand alone politically, it is not such a case for the people. During this show, I underscore that solidarity is alive and strong. And the world is watching us, inspired by our actions. In Russia, many yearn for a Ukrainian victory, hoping it will pave the way for democracy. In the United States, millions are protesting against fascist and corporatist ideologies. In Central Asia, the EU is building bridges, both literally and figuratively. Georgia and Armenia pro-deflore the Asia field and 12 golden stars, aspiring for a better future than only we can define. Never before has an organization united people so willingly without propaganda or coercion. And already the cracks in fascism are showing. In Russia, as Claude Mallure observed, in three years of war, the world's so-called second largest army has only managed to scrap crumbs from a country with three-times its population. Interest rates are at 25%. Its currency is collapsing, along with its gold reserves and demographics. And the American trade war is backfiring. plunging their stock market into turmoil, triggering recession and spiking unemployment. In Hungary, the illiberal democracy championed by Viktor Orban is facing a true adversary, Peter Magyar and his party TISA, now leading in the polls, despite relentless propaganda. Fascism is inherently self-destructive and cannot prevail in the long run. Let us act now to prevent its rise and spare ourselves from its dire consequences. And that will be my final message for today. Thank you for listening. It's been a pleasure. See you next week.
