EU Foreign Ministers discuss Ukraine

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine was one of two main topics of the informal meeting of EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs (Gymnich), held on 28 May in Limassol, Cyprus. Another topic was developments in the Middle East.

In the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos and EU High Representative Kaja Kallas hosted the meeting.

EU Foreign Ministers had an exchange on Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and the EU’s strategic positioning, including the way forward in maintaining momentum in support of Ukraine.

Constantinos Kombos said: “Today’s meeting reaffirmed that the EU remains united in its determination to protect its interests, to uphold its principles and to strengthen its role as a credible geopolitical actor.”

Kaja Kallas also supported the idea that the EU must act in unity. 

“Russia wants us to discuss who talks to them, and they are already picking who is suitable for that. Let’s not walk into that trap. Negotiations are always a team effort, with a defined strategy,” Kallas told the press after the meeting.  

She also said that “the dynamics of the war are shifting in Ukraine’s favour” and that the EU was preparing new sanctions on Russia “to really pressure them, so that they would go from pretending to negotiate to actually coming to the negotiation table”.

Kallas also mentioned security concerns regarding the presence of Russian troops in Moldova and Georgia. “It is clearly in Europe’s interest that these forces are no longer stationed there,” the EU High Representative said.

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Press release

Press conference by High Representative Kaja Kallas