(Strasbourg) “Today marks the 293^rd day of war and we have all witnessed the resistance of Ukrainian citizens” facing the Russian army with pride and courage. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola gave a brief speech at the 2022 Award Ceremony of the Sakharov Prize, bestowed by the European Parliament to the “brave people of Ukraine”.

“The message from Europe has been clear: we stand with Ukraine”, Metsola said. “You are also fighting a war of values”, “the values that we have long had the luxury of taking for granted”. After recalling the basic tenets of a free democracy, namely freedom of expression, the right to vote, and media freedom, Metsola added: “The Ukrainian people deserve to have that, too”, along with peace and freedom. The President of the European Parliament also stressed the importance of the material aid that the EU is sending to Kyiv, the reception of refugees (“whom we have welcomed to our homes…”), of granting “candidacy status” to Ukraine, and of the packages of sanctions (soon to be nine) against Moscow. Finally: “Russia will have to pay for these war crimes. Europe will stand united with Ukraine”.