Travel reports
How do the Gulf states view the war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States? What impact does the escalation have on security, the global economy, and international shipping routes? As part of an ad hoc mission of the European Parliament, I travelled to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to express solidarity and discuss closer cooperation between the EU and the Gulf states.
Russlands hybride Angriffe im Ostseeraum zeigen, wie wichtig der Schutz unserer maritimen Infrastruktur ist. Am Freitag war ich mit Ole Krüger beim Ocean Technology Campus in Rostock, um mich über aktuelle Ideen und Lösungsansätze zu informieren.
Violence is escalating once again in northeastern Syria. In the European Parliament, we call on all parties to uphold the ceasefire and guarantee minority rights. Syria is not safe for returns.
Together with six other colleagues from Greens/EFA I visited East Jerusalem and the West Bank - on a mission to see the situation on the ground, listen to people directly affected, and assess developments that are often discussed in Europe without enough attention to daily reality.
My trip to Syria made clear: returning will not be easy. Syria is still not safe. Anyone deported there today would end up with nothing. Instead of an ideological debate, we need responsible solutions – for example in the form of “go-and-see visits”.
In der letzten Woche habe ich in Rostock den Stab Commander Task Force (CTF) Baltic der Marine besucht. Warum dieser gerade angesichts der Präsenz der russischen Schattenflotte in der Ostsee immer wichtiger wird, erfahrt ihr hier.
Im Landschaftsschutzgebiet am Stettiner Haff entstehen seit Jahren riesige Ferienhausgebiete. Um die malerische Landschaft auch in Zukunft zu erhalten, müssen wir die Natur schützen und neuen Bauprojekten klare Grenzen setzen. Ich war im Süden Usedoms unterwegs und habe mit den Menschen vor Ort gesprochen.
At the end of January, I had the opportunity to travel to Syria—a country at a crossroads. After more than a decade of war and repression, Syria is entering a new phase, one filled with both hope and uncertainty. The decisions made in the coming months will determine whether the country moves toward democratic governance and stability or falls into another cycle of conflict and economic collapse.
In December, together with the Delegation to the Arabian Peninsula, I travelled to Yemen - a country suffering from a terrible war that receives almost no international attention. This was the European Parliament's first official visit to Yemen since 2009.
As head of the delegation to the Arabian Peninsula, I travelled to Saudi Arabia. Topics included the regional security situation, the war in Ukraine, the fight against climate change in the run-up to COP 28 and Saudi Arabia's economic and social development, including human rights.
EU Visa are a powerful tool to support Human Rights Defenders at risk who are based outside the European Union. But it is still too difficult for HRDs to obtain them. I initiated a conference in Spain on the issue
The Iraqi festival gathered traditional music groups from all over the region, as well as European musicians. A unique experience in the heart of Mosul, which is still being rebuilt after ISIS occupation