Welcoming remarks at the Conference of Presidents with the Vice-President of the United States of America, Mr. Joe Biden

Vice-President Biden,

it is both a great honour and pleasure to welcome you to the European Parliament today.

In recent years the transatlantic relationship has been tested. Yet, there is much more that unites us than divides us.

We, the US and Europe, are bound by a common history and shared values - on human rights, democracy and the rule of-law. The European Parliament and the US Congress together represent 800 million people. That is truly impressive. The US and the EU have strong economic ties. We are important investment and trade partners to each other. Many joint interests in global affairs tie us together even more closely.

2014 saw a number of fundamental geo-political changes and new challenges. Together we are called upon to deal with shifting global realities.

Russia's unlawful annexation of Crimea and its continuing hostilities towards Ukraine have shaken up the European security architecture. The dream of a zone of peace reaching from Vancouver to Vladivostok lays shattered.

Yet, we must proceed carefully: there will be no military solution to this conflict. In the words of Martin Luther King, "the old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind". There is only one solution, and that is a political one, in full respect of Ukraine' sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore we strongly support any negotiating format - from Minsk to Normandy to Geneva - which could produce a lasting peaceful solution. And we continue the double track approach: maintaining the critical pressure and the sanctions regime on Russia and enhancing support for Ukraine. Close transatlantic cooperation and coordination is key in this regard.

The brutal murder of Japanese hostages and the Jordanian Pilot these last weeks reinforce our conviction that the so called Islamic State is a global challenge. We must step up our efforts to end the violence in Syria and support Iraqi authorities to ensure inclusiveness in all the institutions. We must continue to provide humanitarian aid to the refugees and support the neighbouring countries Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, and better coordinate our fight against terrorism inside Europe and with the regional powers. In the wake of the abominable terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo and the Kosher supermarket, we are doing everything to ensure that all Europeans are safe. But we will never sacrifice our freedoms for a false sense of security.

The overall economic situation continues to present a challenge. As you know, Vice-President Biden, we are just setting up an Investment Plan to boost jobs and growth. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has enormous economic potential, too. Many in this House want to see TTIP become a reality - but never at the cost of our high environmental, consumer, social and data protection standards. We need to take the real concerns of our citizens into account instead of playing them down. As in any negotiation, all sides have their sensitivities and red lines. Yet, with enough political will and mutual understanding we are optimistic that the remaining obstacles can be removed.

We all know that in today's globalised world, coordination, cooperation and compromise are the key for success. In this spirit I give the floor to you, Vice- President Biden.