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UPDATE: EU FMs discuss Ukraine in Brussels

22.05.2023 22:00
Poland’s top diplomat Zbigniew Rau on Monday attended a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss Russia’s war against Ukraine and further Western support for Kyiv, officials said.
Polands Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.
Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.Photo: PAP/Roman Zawistowski

According to the Polish foreign ministry, the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting in the Belgian capital focused on "military and political support for Ukraine" as well as "the situation in the Horn of Africa region."

It also included talks with top diplomats from Western Balkan countries.

Rau told reporters that meeting participants discussed the EU's off-budget military support for Ukraine known as the European Peace Facility.

Photo: Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Photo: Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Barbara Wojciechowska/MSZ

"Everything seems to be going well, meaning the disbursement of half a billion euros and the admission of another billion - the 8th tranche," Rau said, as quoted by the Polish foreign ministry.

On the sidelines of the Brussels meeting, Rau held security talks with his counterparts from Italy and Ireland, the Polish foreign ministry said.

He also sat down with the foreign ministers of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to discuss preparations for NATO's summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on July 11 and 12.

On Tuesday, Rau is scheduled to travel to Valencia in southeastern Spain to participate in a "tripartite meeting of the foreign ministers of Poland, Spain and Romania," according to the Polish foreign ministry.

The purpose of that meeting will be to "discuss the most important issues in the area of security and to raise important topics from the EU agenda a month before the commencement of the Spanish presidency of the Council of the European Union," the Polish foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Polish foreign minister said in a policy speech in parliament last month that Russia's aggressive policies posed the greatest threat to peace in Europe and Poland's security.

He declared at the time that his country's aim was to stop "Russia's imperial ambitions."

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

Monday was day 453 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAPgov.pl