Thewesternbalkans
On 24.06.2024 in Luxembourg it was a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union headed by Josep Borrell.
Following the speech of mr. Borell after the meeting, there was important exchanges on Ukraine, on Gaza and the Middle East, on Georgia, and on the Western Balkans, mainly.
The EU ministers reviewed the military support to Ukraine. “This was mainly the most important issue today in concrete terms, because we need to supply Ukraine with more air defences, more ammunition and more support to the development of their own industrial capacities” – Borell said.
Ministers agreed on a legal framework for the use of windfall profits from immobilised Russian assets to be allocated to the European Peace Facility. But there is still one country blocking the use of about €6 billion from the European Peace Facility.
On the Middle East: “three weeks after President Biden’s proposal, and despite the strong international support, in particular, the European Union support, we are nowhere in terms of ceasefire” Borell said.
The humanitarian situation is just disastrous. Josep Borell added that this is a real concern for all Member States. Certainly, the EU has to continue the pressure in order to make the humanitarian support to be able to enter into Gaza. But this is not going to happen without a ceasefire.
There was a lunch and a meeting with representatives of the Western Balkans to discuss the European strong common engagement on foreign and security policy.
The High representative underlined that the EU is ready to further deepen the gradual integration and expand its support to the Western Balkan partners.
“But the EU expressed to the WB countries representatives the need to stand together with the Union in defence of the rules-based international order, and in particular of Ukraine, and in particular on the measure taken in order to counter the Russian invasion of Ukraine” – Borell said.
The alignment of the Western Balkans countries with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is considered an expression of their strategic choice and commitment to EU membership. Maintaining close ties with Putin’s regime is not compatible with building a common future with and within the European Union.
In the afternoon, after the lunch, it was a lively debate on Georgia. The overwhelming majority of the EU Foreign Ministers has been very clear about that the Georgia government is bringing the country away from the European Union. And if the government will not change the course of action, Georgia will not progress on its European Union path.
The decision is that, if the government does not change the course of action, Georgia will not progress on the European Union path.
Comments: Of course, from the meeting of the EU foreign ministers, the discussion on the Western Balkans is of particular importance to us. The messages are quite clear – leading in the future will be the compliance and support of the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) of the EU, and especially the support for Ukraine. All other reforms will matter, but without total support for the EU’s CFSP, there will be no integration. At least in this composition of the EC and this High representative. And if Borel happens to be succeeded by Estonian Prime Minister Kaia Kalas, things will be even more radical.
