- 2025-10-02 “P-003855/2025 Answer given by Mr Kubilius on behalf of the European Commission The Commission shares the Honourable Members’ deep concern. Russia’s violation of Estonian airspace is not an isolated incident but part of a deliberate pattern to test and undermine European security. The EU’s security is under threat and defending it is a top priority for the EU and the Member States. The Commission is mobilising EU funding for air defence. The Communication on ‘Preserving Peace – Defence Readiness Roadmap’ 1 designated air and missile defence a top capability priority. The Commission proposed the ‘European Air Shield’ as a European Readiness Flagship which builds upon the proposed European Drone Defence Initiative and Eastern Flank Watch. To fund this, the Commission will ensure that the European Defence Fund and European Defence Industry Programme dedicate significant budgets to air defence systems. The Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument 2 will help Member States procure these assets jointly, leveraging up to EUR 150 billion in financing. Security and climate objectives are mutually dependent, not mutually exclusive. Without security, long-term climate goals are unachievable. Without tackling climate change, extreme events and devastations are inevitable. This is not an 'either/or' choice. Mobilising adequate resources for defence and using them efficiently is crucial. The Commission’s proposal for a new European Competitiveness Fund for the next EU budget is informed by this recognition: support to defence industry is at the centre of one of the four policy windows – ‘Resilience and security, defence industry and space’ 3 with an indicative envelope of EUR 131 billion for these priorities – ensuring effective funding to equip the EU for these pressing challenges and the new geopolitical reality. 1 https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/document/download/9db42c04-15c2-42e1-836460afb0073e68_en?filename=Joint-Communication%20_Defence-Readiness-Roadmap-2030.pdf. 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2025/1106/oj/eng. 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025PC0555.”
Defence spending · EU-Russia relations (from March 2022)
- “Thank you very much for this debate. And I will start with the green transition and economy. As von der Leyen and some colleagues said, green transition goes together with Competitivity. They do not exclude each other, But when I think about the residential crisis and the prices, then I should say that we have the ETS system, which is to blame, because the price of it has gone up by more than twice during the past five years, and therefore many companies have moved, moved out their production to the United States. And now we are looking forward to ETS two, which will be paid for by citizens, by people who drive cars. And this is even more detrimental to our economy. And still you say that green transition is good. It's perfectly viable. I think that's wrong. It's not true because green transition cannot guarantee anything. Half of the jobs are already gone from the automotive sector in Germany. We are already dependent on Asia, on China. We have to buy minerals in order to have the green transition. So I would say that green transition is a fantasy. It's not true. And we will gain power because you are stupid.”
Energy (green transition)
- “Thanks a lot. Well, otherwise. Yeah. So thanks so much. Also and very many greetings to Kiev, to Ukraine. And there is no doubt that, of course, we are standing as much as possible from the European Parliament side with Ukraine. Uh, there is not always a lot we can do, but at least we are doing to do our best. Uh, just for the comment, for the, for the, also the previous concerns about the minorities in Ukraine. I think most of us in the Parliament totally understands that in the last four years, over four years already, you have to be focused, uh, essentially to surviving. And, uh, there is no doubt that there is not so much time left to, to focus on the other things about, uh, to do with the minorities in Ukraine. So the first priority is and has to be. Definitely how to survive and how to fight against the aggression. So that's most probably the position for the most of the members of the European Parliament. And secondly, I think there are some concerns, definitely before the summer, that how the situation on the on the war ground will evaluate and and there hasn't been enough support also by military. So there is a political pressure also from the European Parliament side to the member states, especially the bigger member states, who has still resources to help more Ukraine, because the war doesn't only matter, matter. What matters really is the real actions and real military power to support Ukraine. And thirdly, there has been also, like very many discussions about how to mobilise the human resources in Ukraine, because we are very well informed that that on the on the really like in the war situation, there are very many man power is lost and you need a new resource to stand up against the aggression. So could you maybe give the overview about the situation in society in Ukraine that how motivated or what are, what are the really like the possibilities to mobilize more and more manpower to really get to the war ground to, to fight against the aggression? Thanks a lot.”
Russia-Ukraine conflict (10th term)
- “(11:29:11 – 11:30:39): Thanks so much, sir Gullix, to your commissioners. First of all, I think, like, when we're talking about single market and the differences, we have to understand that the only solution for the left side then is to have the same rules, same regulations. But just for example, I couldn't just imagine that we're gonna have a compromise for the labor market with the same rules, with Spanish far left governments and with the normal governments because this will mean that we're gonna overregulate in 27 member states just to harmonize. And, I will not probably see ever a national governments who are elected by the people from the member states that they will agree with that. That will never happen. So we have differences, but differences is a 1 start for the competition and competition is good, globally. But when we talk about just the market situation for the EU, the real problem actually, what is also mentioned here, is our capacity globally against China and The US also. But what do we have for, example, industrial companies? They have to consider on the same time emissions and environmental permits, occupational safety requirements, product certifications, chemical and material requirements, energy and climate rules, all of that. And then we are talking about, like, how to overregulate. No. We have to go back to the history to have a normal market again where we started. Thanks so much. The next speaker is Angelika Nipla.”
Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
- “Thank you very much, colleagues. So how should the European Union react to the US tariffs? No, not by punishing Trump, but by starting to develop the European economy. The EU's economic space is a labyrinth of directives and regulations. This stifles entrepreneurship, puts off investors and hampers economic growth. Once upon a time, Europe was an advocate of market economics. Now it's drifting towards a socialist command economy. Business is currently spend more time on compliance with regulatory requirements than they do on product development. Many companies are abandoning plans for expansion because they cannot bear the costs of complying with the directives. Investors prefer to put their money into countries where risks are lower and regulations make more sense. We shouldn't allow bureaucracy to replace the spirit of entrepreneurship. Historically, it's freedom which brought innovation, created jobs and prosperity. Europe has the potential to lead the global economy as long as it restores faith in the free market. That means trusting business. That means lighter and more flexible regulation. That means fewer directives and more freedom to decide, among other things. It also means stopping the Green Deal. Only then can we defend Europe's economic interests and our citizens prosperity. Thank you.”
Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
- “Thanks a lot. The situation in the European Union is no better than it was a year ago. During the same debate, firstly, the EU continues to be the largest importer of gas in the world from Russia, paying billions of euros for it. And at the same time, Russia. Just this morning attacked Poland, which is a member state of both NATO and the EU, with drones. Secondly, there are still attempts to continue with climate extremism, which causes enormous damage to the economies, entrepreneurs and consumers of European countries. We are feeling this, especially in Estonia, for example. Thirdly, the competence of the EU leadership is depressing. Mrs. von der Leyen clearly does not understand the situation. We are in the world. The situation is even sadder with the EU's top diplomats, our own foreign representative, Mrs. Kallas, who only last week made the whole of Europe a laughing stock within the framework of the European Institute of Security Studies, where she showed her infertility by not having basic knowledge of history and not having basic understanding of geopolitics. And all this in terrible English. The people of Europe do not deserve this. They deserve much better.”
EU-Russia relations (from March 2022) · Climate efforts
- “Thanks so much, Alex. First of all, we're going to talk about the long term budget for the future. We are only talking about for our own resources. But let it set more simple way for the voters in the public. Own resources means new taxes. So what's very many of you wants here? To have a new taxes. So it means to open the treaties to more federalize the financial policy for the EU to get the taxes directly from the companies to the EU budget, not to the member states. But what we are not talking about at all is maybe we should absolutely cut our expenses. We cannot increase all the time the budget to have more expenses for the Green Deal, for the very beautiful, nice things when our economy is totally running out compared to the China or the US. So we should cut our taxes. We should cut our expenses. And we should absolutely, totally finish the green ideology. What is absolutely craziest, most socialist communist thing ever? Because many of you are communists here. And and when our commissioner said that we did so well during the pandemic, really the president of the commission is still under investigation for the crime with the Pfizer gate. We did not dwell. So I will never trust our taxpayers money for in your hands. Thank you.”
Own EU resources
- “Thank you so much. First of all, thanks for all the two decades over regulation, over taxation when the prices are going up. You are just whining and blaming the Trump. Trump is guilty. Some of you from the Greens are saying that, oh, the nurse has to drive one hour in the morning to work and now the fuel price is over €2 per litre. Yeah, but you know, in the EU, over 50% of the fuel price are going for taxes, while in the US only 20%. It is. Thanks for you. This nurse is paying over €2 per litre. You are saying about the green energy? Yes, we have done it for the last seven years. The green ideology and the prices are just going up. Can we cut all the fossil fuels? No, it is impossible by technology. You know about Estonia? From my own country. We have the best expertise in the whole world for oil shale. We could produce the cheapest energy ever. We have also produced actually gasoline from oil shale. But we can't do it. You know why? Because we have the emission trading system for the climate change. Thanks for you. And then you are wondering, oh, Trump is guilty. Trump is guilty. Look into the mirror. You are guilty.”
Fossil fuels
- “Lot. Actually, it is a very good question. The problem with the Green Deal and with the Russian energy is now Estonia has been always independent, with energy, with oil shale, we have produced more than we need. We have exported this to Finland, Latvia and Sweden. But now, because of the Green Deal, because the ideology is saying that there is too much CO2, the plan is to shut it down by 2030 and to import the energy, because unfortunately, sun and wind is not enough in Estonia, especially in February. So we have to rely on the import from the Nordics, from other countries. And then when we are connected with the import, we are very, very in a bigger risk because of the connections between Estonia and Finland. Once the Russian ship is going there and something happens in February with the -20, we are in trouble. So that is why the Green Deal energy independence is a huge problem that is connected to be independent from the Russian energy, actually. But Estonia is a different case and that is why we are protecting the oil shale. But it is not for the Green Deal. Very good. But it is for our energy security and independence. Thanks a lot.”
EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
- “Thank you. I will speak in Estonia. I have two short questions. You're talking about violations of international law, and I understand that. Do the mass murders in Iran that have happened, the tortures of women? Is it only an internal domestic issue that shouldn't interest us? Or are we talking about infringements of international affairs or international law? Is it positive or negative that the Chinese and Russian axes will weaken? If there will be no Shahed drones that will be exported in order to destroy new villages and kindergartens? Is it good or bad that they don't have this opportunity anymore to export those drones? Thank you.”
EU-Iran relations
- “Thank you, dear colleagues. I am very concerned hearing about from the left and others cross words about United States because of the new security strategy, which is against Europe. I think it's unrealistic to expect that having decades, uh, us having paid for European security so that the left was able to in invest billions in retirement, uh, monies and migration. And if the United States no longer wish to provide us this security, this is suddenly a problem. I disagree looking at the small states in Europe, in our neighborhood, such as the northern Eastern Europe, it is an existential question for us how our relationship with the United States lies. We could have, criticism from other states, but it's a matter of principle. Germany could speak about strategic autonomy, but they can even not institute military service. So should we expect more from a bubble in Brussels, or should we expect more from our allies in the United States?”
EU-US relations
- “Thank you, Mr. Chair. Commissioners. First of all, I think like when we are talking about single market and the differences, we have to understand that the only solution for the left side is to have the same rules, same regulations. But just for example, I couldn't just imagine that we're going to have a compromise for the labor market with the same rules with Spanish far left governments and with the normal governments, because this will mean that we are going to overregulate in 27 member states just to harmonize. And I will not probably see ever a national governments who are elected by the people from the Member States that they will agree with that. That will never happen. So we have differences, but differences is a one start for the competition, and competition is good globally. But when we are talking about just the market situation for the EU, the real problem actually what is also mentioned here is our capacity globally against China and the US also. But what do we have, for example, industrial companies, they have to consider at the same time emissions and environmental permits, occupational safety requirements, product certifications, chemical and material requirements, energy and climate rules, all of that. And then we are talking about like how to overregulate. No, we have to go back to the history to have a normal market again where we started. Thank you so much.”
Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
- “Okay, okay. Sure. Yeah. It's fine, it's fine. Well, if you would agree with me, everything will be wrong. Because you're from renew and I'm from the conservatives, so it's fine. When we look at the climate policy, the question is that we need a reliable resources. Is it a nuclear plants or is it like the gas, is it the LNG, whatever. Unfortunately, or even the Estonian economy can't run only by the sun and wind. That's a pure fact. We need a stable energy. But what Germany has done because of the Greens, your partners here in Parliament, they shut down all the nuclear plants, relying only on Russian gas. And now they are screwed, of course, Because of Russia. Yeah, it makes sense. But the problem is that now you can't go with electric tanks to Greenland to. Save. Democracy here. Let's protect.”
EU approach to energy security (home-made vs import sources)
- “Thank you very much, colleagues. Commissioner. First of all, we're obviously all interested in child protection. It is vital that we look after the most vulnerable in our midst. On the other hand, we shouldn't be hypocritical. I agree on the question of punishment. I agree with the Danish colleague. I absolutely agree with the proposal for castration. But on the other hand, linking this to gender LGBT issues, that's hypocritical. We are talking about oversexualization Station in our society in Europe as a whole. It starts much deeper. The idea of changing sex as a child. Uh. A German colleague here was talking about hate speech. I'm sorry. This is not hate speech. You. You saw what happened in Germany when you tried to muzzle the opposition. We have democracy. We want to protect children. So we should go deeply into this question and get to the bottom of what is paedophilia?”
LGBTIQ+