The main themes of the meeting were Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and EU policy towards China.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that after Russia’s decision to annex the occupied territories of Ukraine, the recent increase in escalation and missile attacks against the Ukrainian population and critical civilian infrastructure, the EU should continue to support every kind of Ukraine and further strengthen the pressure against Russia. “Ukraine must immediately provide further financial and military support. It is especially necessary to deliver anti-aircraft defense weapons urgently, in addition to urgent ones this winter,” said the foreign minister.
Sanctions should also continue to be tightened, including as regards issuing visas to Russian citizens. The minister called for the start of work on the development of the ninth round of sanctions against Russia, as well as the continuation of the restrictive measures against Belarus, which provides support to Russia in the war in Ukraine.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs called on his EU colleagues to create a special tribunal in order to prosecute the main Russian political and military leadership for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. “The court should be created in such a way as to complement and strengthen existing legal mechanisms,” assured Rinkēvičs.
During the meeting, ministers agreed on the EU military support mission to Ukraine, which will carry out training of the Ukrainian armed forces on the territory of EU member states.
In the discussion on China, ministers exchanged views on how to build EU relations with China in the context of today’s global challenges. Taking into account the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine and the pandemic, ministers agreed that a common policy of all 27 EU countries towards China is essential. The EU also needs to focus on strengthening its economic resilience.
On 15 October, the Foreign Minister also attended the first meeting of the high-level group of friends for a more ambitious EU climate diplomacy. Rinkēvičs stressed the importance of climate change in the EU’s foreign and security policy in the current geopolitical conditions and called for strengthening the EU’s efforts in cooperation with third countries to overcome climate change.
At the initiative of Denmark and Germany, a high-level group of friends was created for more ambitious EU climate diplomacy. Its aim is to strengthen the role of climate diplomacy in the external action of the European Union.
