EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg
24 April 2023 News
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova led the Bulgarian delegation to participate in the regular meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, which took place today in Luxembourg.
The agenda included a discussion on the current situation in Ukraine, the deteriorating situation in Sudan and the evacuation process of EU citizens, the implementation of the Action Plan on the geopolitical challenges of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, EU measures to support the Republic of Moldova, the situation in Tunisia and Lebanon, as well as the Middle East peace process. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia took a special part in the meeting.
The work of the EU foreign ministers began with a meeting with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Kolbrún Gylfadóttir, who briefed the Council on the preparations for the 4th Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the organisation.
The Ministers' discussion on Ukraine focused on: the situation on the ground, the provision of support to Ukraine, the strengthening of military support to the country's armed forces, the implementation of the EU Military Mission with a non-executive mandate, the demand for accountability for serious crimes committed by Russia, restrictive measures against Moscow and Minsk and the prevention of sanctions evasion, President Zelensky's peace plan.
The Bulgarian Deputy Minister stressed the need to maintain unity on the restrictive measures imposed, taking into account the sensitivities of the Member States, including in the nuclear field. At the same time, she informed about Bulgaria's efforts to diversify in this key sector. Deputy Minister Petrova also called for the adoption of a common approach within the EU to overcome the negative consequences for some Member States regarding the export of agricultural products from Ukraine. Traditionally, the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs took part in the meeting by video link. Minister Kuleba's main appeal was the urgent provision of additional military assistance to Ukraine.
The Council discussed the deteriorating situation in Sudan, the increasing intensity of hostilities in the country between the two warring factions, the serious danger of a full-scale civil war which would have very serious consequences for the Sudanese people and the security of the entire region. The Ministers expressed strong concern at the escalation of violence in the capital and other regions of Sudan. They called on the belligerent forces to immediately cease hostilities, provide safe evacuation corridors for foreign nationals and ensure that food and basic services are provided to the civilian population. Ministers agreed on the need for close coordination at EU level to protect European citizens in crisis situations.
The Council also discussed the situation in Georgia, with the special participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilia Darchiashvili. Deputy Minister Velislava Petrova welcomed Georgia's efforts to implement the necessary reforms on the path of European integration. She underlined the importance of Georgia as a key partner in the Black Sea region. The ministers expressed their expectation that the Georgian authorities will implement the necessary reforms and fully integrate European values.
The Council gave clear political support for the implementation of the Action Plan on the geopolitical consequences of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine.
The Council adopted a decision to deploy a civilian CSDP mission in Moldova to strengthen efforts to combat disinformation and hybrid threats.
Ministers discussed the political situation in Tunisia, Lebanon and the situation in the Middle East.
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