PM Bettel Addresses War Against Ukraine, Climate Change at EU Parliament

On Wednesday 19 April 2023, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel paid a working visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where he delivered a speech during the plenary session.

Prior to his speech to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), Prime Minister Bettel spoke with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, about European and world news.

The meeting was followed by a press briefing during which Luxembourg's Prime Minister praised the European Parliament's continued commitment to respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights.

During his plenary session speech, Prime Minister Bettel raised various topics at the heart of the European debate, including the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the fight against climate change, open strategic autonomy, migration and the need to respect the fundamental values on which the soul of the European Union (EU) is based, including tolerance, democracy and freedom. He emphasised that the EU cannot be credible in the eyes of the rest of the world in its fight for fundamental rights if these rights are jeopardised at home.

Luxembourg's Prime Minister also stressed the importance of European and cross-border cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts around the distribution of vaccines between EU Member States and sharing these with developing countries.