I spent an important part of my life participating in conflicts. But for me, conflict was not the main principle.

I got into politics a little bit by chance, as a person from the first generation of the Solidarity movement.

Over the years, the European Union and the United States have worked together to ensure peace and prosperity for our citizens and for people around the world.

If we believe that the EU is only a fair-weather event we will be doomed. The EU cannot be an answer only to the tragedies of the past but also to the problems of the future. We must understand that the geopolitical holidays are over. It's time to go back to school where there will be only hard exams to take.

I am glad that Angela Merkel is the German Chancellor, as she tries to combine a sense of responsibility with morality and values. Because this is the essence of Europe.

Many militant conflicts began with war-like words. The blame game is currently more popular in the EU than football. But maybe there is also a good side to this. We now talk more honestly and emotionally with each other. Not in the soulless Euro-lingo of earlier times.

What we have to do is to definitively remove the last vestiges of power from those who treat terms such as liberal democracy, free markets and Europe with suspicion.