Mārtiņš Staķis
Member of the European Parliament · ALE · LV
“Mr President, it was Monday night while many of us woke up early to catch the flight to Strasbourg that Kyiv was hit again. The Russian missiles and drones killed 28 people, dozens wounded and true horror. So some in Europe are tired of the war, that's fair enough.”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, I welcome this debate and I thank all the colleagues from Romania, Finland, the Baltic States and other countries for making it happen. But while we speak about the drones, let us not forget about the most powerful weapon Russia has, and it is lies.”
“In the fifth year of war, there should be no Russian citizens shopping in Milan or sunbathing in Spain. Even if Russian citizens stopped receiving tourist visas, there would still be legal pathways for asylum seekers and humanitarian visas. This is not escalation. This is a proportional response. 2-0233-0000”
“Mr President, let me speak directly to my colleagues from Orbán's political group. In Latvia, we have a saying: 'zaudēt ir jāmāk' – you have to know how to lose. This debate should not be happening because nobody here is confused about who interfered in Hungary's elections. It wasn't Europe, it was the Kremlin, and it was Trump.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, there is no peace without justice. Every day this war continues and Ukrainian civilians pay – with their homes, their children, their lives and their future. And the man who orders it sits in the Kremlin, untouched.”
“Latvija piedāvā lielāko dronu testēšanas infrastruktūru mūsu reģionā - Sēlijas poligonu. Tā ir radījusi arī dronu centru, kur tiek testētas jaunas tehnoloģijas kopā ar zinātniekiem un arī ņemot vērā Ukrainas pieredzi. Un šis ir tikai viens piemērs, kādu ceļu var iet Eiropa.”
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Every one of 22 lines we hold for Mārtiņš Staķis, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
“But the promise itself cannot be doubted, because the promise is exactly what gives Ukrainians the strength to keep fighting for their country and for all of Europe. 2-0390-0000”
“Mr President, it was Monday night while many of us woke up early to catch the flight to Strasbourg that Kyiv was hit again. The Russian missiles and drones killed 28 people, dozens wounded and true horror. So some in Europe are tired of the war, that's fair enough. But what gives Ukrainians the strength to keep fighting even though they are so tired of this horror? I have asked this question to Ukrainians in Ukraine and also those who are in my hometown, in Riga. And the answer is always the same: it's Europe, that one day they will belong here among us. So Ukraine must be part of the European Union and we will walk through the difficult issues. There are many and they are real.”
“In the fifth year of war, there should be no Russian citizens shopping in Milan or sunbathing in Spain. Even if Russian citizens stopped receiving tourist visas, there would still be legal pathways for asylum seekers and humanitarian visas. This is not escalation. This is a proportional response. 2-0233-0000”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, I welcome this debate and I thank all the colleagues from Romania, Finland, the Baltic States and other countries for making it happen. But while we speak about the drones, let us not forget about the most powerful weapon Russia has, and it is lies. Russia spread the lies that drones were launched from the Baltic territory. And this is an aggressive attack, designed to create the pretext against the Member States. We can watch, we can condemn, but this will achieve nothing. Europe needs what I call a black book: a systematic record of every aggressive act Russia commits against the EU – every lie, every drone, every provocation written down. And for every page, a proportional response: hit the economy, hit the elite and tourist visas.”
“So yes, zaudēt ir jāmāk, you have to lose with dignity and stop serving those who try to steal democracy in a European country. Thank you, Hungarian people, for the right choice. 3-0249-0000”
“Mr President, let me speak directly to my colleagues from Orbán's political group. In Latvia, we have a saying: 'zaudēt ir jāmāk' – you have to know how to lose. This debate should not be happening because nobody here is confused about who interfered in Hungary's elections. It wasn't Europe, it was the Kremlin, and it was Trump. The fear campaigns, the false flags, Russian bot armies and JD Vance, the sitting American Vice-President, flying in to tip the scales of European elections. That was real interference directed at the heart of Hungary's democracy. But the Hungarian people were smarter than all of it. They saw Orbán's servile relationship with Putin, they saw the corruption and they rejected it and chose a different future.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, there is no peace without justice. Every day this war continues and Ukrainian civilians pay – with their homes, their children, their lives and their future. And the man who orders it sits in the Kremlin, untouched. I personally face criminal case in Belarus for flying a free Belarusian flag here in Europe. But as for those who ordered murders, torture and rape, Europe has not prosecuted them, and that is not justice. We have the evidence. The world has seen it. And yet accountability moves slower than Russian missiles, and that must change. We need full support for the International Criminal Court, a special tribunal for the crime of aggression and real compensation for Ukraine, because solidarity with without accountability is just a speech, and this Parliament has heard enough speeches. Slava Ukraini!”
“Latvija piedāvā lielāko dronu testēšanas infrastruktūru mūsu reģionā - Sēlijas poligonu. Tā ir radījusi arī dronu centru, kur tiek testētas jaunas tehnoloģijas kopā ar zinātniekiem un arī ņemot vērā Ukrainas pieredzi. Un šis ir tikai viens piemērs, kādu ceļu var iet Eiropa. Mums vienkārši ir jāattīsta savas dronu tehnoloģijas un jānodrošina savu pilsoņu aizsardzība. 4-0023-0000”
“Mr President, dear colleagues, this report matters because we no longer live in a safe world. On Europe's eastern flank, we see it every day: the violation of our airspace, cyber-attacks, sabotages and disinformation. And these are not just 'cyber threats', as some like to say, they are deliberate acts of aggression, mainly from Russia – meant to scare us, divide us and test our resolve. This report focuses on what actually works: stronger drone defence, electronic warfare, better protection of our skies and real tools to counter hybrid attacks. Europe must also be able to defend itself reliably and without illusions. For four years now, we are witnessing full-scale war in our own continent. People in Ukraine are dying every day. If we do nothing, war will spread. If we show strength, this can stop. I believe that it's that simple.”
“Colleagues, EDIP is a good instrument to make Europe stronger, safer and more independent, but it should be only the beginning. 2-0044-0000”
“Madam President, esteemed colleagues, after a long discussion, the European Defence Industry Programme is finally coming. Europe can be truly independent only if we take our destiny in our hands. Without strong defence, we risk letting other powers like the US, China and Russia decide Europe's future. This is the clearest lesson from Trump's one‑sided EU trade deal and this so‑called 'peace plan' in Ukraine. We keep getting bad deals and our allies are becoming less predictable and our adversaries more aggressive. Europe is strong in diplomacy, but diplomacy can only take us so far if it is not backed by real military strength. So, stronger defence is not a luxury, it is a must. With a joint defence project across the EU, we can produce what Europe truly needs: drones and munitions, a communication system and transport vehicles.”
“Because the Kremlin fears freedom, because freedom proves that change is possible even in Russia. Long live free Belarus! Zhyve Belarus! 3-0093-0000”
“Madam President, honourable Members, the people of Belarus do not stand with Lukashenka, and they don't stand with Putin either. And we share their dream of freedom and a country where the government serves its citizens, and does not imprison them, where the Belarusian language is celebrated, not suppressed, where allies treat Belarus with respect, not as a platform to start wars or for nuclear weapons. We want to see Minsk stand proudly among the free capitals of the European Union, if that is the will of the people, and the day when Belarus competes in ice hockey under the white-red-white flag of free Belarus. But Lukashenka stands against this, and Putin seeks to export this current Belarus model to Georgia and to as many countries as he can.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, Russia is collapsing: over 1 million soldiers dead or wounded; more than 11 000 armoured vehicles, tanks, have been destroyed; and billions of euros lost. War spending now consumes almost 40 % of the state budget. Yet, after three and a half years, Russia still has no victory in sight. That's why the Kremlin has changed its tactics. Unable to win on the battlefield, it now seeks to divide and intimidate Europe by financing corrupt politicians, spreading disinformation and striking our infrastructure to test our readiness. So, Europe must respond with decisive action: frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine; provide long-range weapons capable of striking deep inside enemy territory; apply Ukraine's drone-war experience; and rebuild our defence industries. Above all, we must discard peacetime thinking.”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, I too dislike the one-sided trade deal with the United States. I too dislike watching Europe quietly accept the shifting world order, or the next sudden decision from the US President. We can shout in the sky, tear our eyes out, or hold an endless non-confidence vote, but nothing will change if we do not understand one simple truth: any Commission will have its hands tied if Europe depends on others for security. Our values are the strongest in the world, but our muscles are weak, so relying on America's shield comes at a price for Europe. Only a Europe able to defend itself will be treated as an equal by Washington or by Beijing, so defence must come first, the better trade deals and influence will follow. 3-0062-0000”
“Madam President, colleagues, crises are part of Europe. But when disaster strikes, it's not a governmental official who knocks first at your door – it's your neighbour. And that is where true preparedness begins: in trust between people; in the strength of local NGOs and community groups, who know the names and needs in their neighbourhoods. They can organise training, build resilience from the bottom up, and often they are more trusted than government institutions. We see this in Finland, where networks like Vapepa link citizens and state, and across Europe, like in Latvia, where the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation works to build local resilience. We must support the human infrastructure with recognition, with resources and with a seat at the table, because resilience starts with the person next door, not the system above.”
“And in this case, it's the eastern flank. It's not about building 1 000 tanks that stay parked in Western Europe. It's about sending 100 tanks where they are needed, where Europe's security is truly tested. To protect Europe's future, we must invest in the Baltic Defence Line and support all frontline countries. This is smarter and cheaper than spreading resources across all countries. Defending Europe means defending the most vulnerable edge: Europe's border with Russia. That must be our shared mission. 3-0025-0000”
“Madam President, dear colleagues, our threat has one clear name: it's Russia. And that's why NATO countries have to do more than just make a stand. Ukraine is leading by example with courage, with strategy and with a refusal to back down. We all saw what Ukraine achieved when it reached deep into Russian territory, and destroyed the very bombers that had been terrorising its cities and people. Most of us cheered, but not all. Some here travelled to Moscow to cheer with the aggressor, and some still attend events that twist truth and excuse the war crimes. The rest understand the stakes, but a one-size-fits-all defence strategy is not going to work. It's time to focus. If one house is on fire, you don't split firefighters across the whole neighbourhood. You concentrate resources where the threat is greatest.”
“We have everything we need to defend ourselves and others. The only step left: removing the chains we have placed on ourselves. 2-0036-0000”
“Madam President, Europe is a giant in chains: wealthy, powerful, yet paralysed. Objective reality and data show that there is no need to despair. Quite the opposite. We have given Ukraine EUR 134 billion. That sounds like a lot, but it's just 0.2 % of our GDP. If the US steps back, we can raise that to 0.4 % without difficulty. The Baltics, Finland and Denmark already contributed nearly 1 % – a small price for lasting security – and our economies have only become stronger as a result. We can make Russia pay. Let's seize 200 billion of frozen Russian assets and direct them to Ukraine. Madam President, the European Commission must make a decision on this right now. Dear colleagues, the numbers don't lie. We are 450 million Europeans. Russia has just 140 million people. Our economy is 12 times larger.”
“Mr President, dear friends, yes, we Latvians see Russia differently because we live beside it. Just imagine an apartment building. We – Latvian and Estonian neighbours – live in the same floor and are improving our house day by day. But behind the door, on the east side, there is our unruly tenant living, Russia, who is aggressive, who is drunk, destructive. Our Ukrainian neighbour suffers the most. Every time they rebuild, Russia comes, steals, destroys and vandalises. Russia has attacked Ukraine 24 times in the last 300 years. So, today they continue to terrorise our floor, but tomorrow, they will come to yours. And if you don't stop them, they will burn down the house. So, the history shows: ignoring the fire won't save you – it only lets the flames spread. That's why our unruly tenant deserves a very hard lesson. 2-0100-0000”
“Prezidenta kungs! Godātā komisāres kundze! Baltijas jūru apdraud Krievija, konkrēti, Krievijas ēnu flote. Mēs varam tikai iedomāties, kas notiktu, ja Baltijas jūrā tāpat kā pavisam nesen Melnajā jūrā avarētu krievu tankkuģis un plaša naftas noplūde notiktu arī Baltijas jūrā. Šāda katastrofa manam reģionam būtu neatgriezeniska. Jūras ekosistēma būtu iznīcināta, un vairākām paaudzēm mūsu skaistās pludmales principā būtu sabeigtas uz gadu desmitiem. NATO jau ir reaģējusi, nosūtot patruļkuģus. Eiropas Savienībai tagad ir jāizdara savs mājasdarbs, un Baltijas jūrai ir jābūt aizsargātai. Un ko tas nozīmē?”