Fragments of Donald Tusk's speech:
... Today, possibly the most crucial words that should be said here, in the European Parliament, are those addressed straight to Europeans and Europeans – rise your heads high. Europe was, is and will be great. And it's not about political slogans. How frequently do we forget that the European Union is 450 million people, it is the 27 arrogant national states that have been able to agree present and will be able to agree tomorrow, sometimes in hard processes, but to agree on a common position. And at specified critical moments as financial, energy, migration, terrorist, pandemic, war beyond our east border. Look at the reliability with which the European nations, the associate States, the institutions, the European Union as a whole, approach these challenges. And there truly is no reason for Europe today, especially today, to recognise that we are in any absurd existential problem and problems (...). This revolutionary political change in the United States has caused any political confusion in many European countries (...). What is happening around us, what is happening in Europe, what is happening in the geopolitical dimension, poses fresh challenges for Europe, but Europe is here to face specified challenges. Listen, erstwhile we hear the leaders of another countries – we all listened attentively to president Donald Trump's inaugural speech – the leaders of another countries and another powers talk proudly of the achievements of their countries, traditions, large past and large future. Europe has the right to talk equally clearly, equally loudly, with the same conviction of its greatness in the past, the present and its belief in the large future of our continent and our Union. We just request to open our eyes wide and not be offended by changes in circumstances....
