The annual conference brings together EU ambassadors from more than 145 delegations and offices around the world in addition to the heads of EU military and civilian missions and operations, EU special representatives, special envoys and heads of the European Commission representations in all 27 EU member states.

This year’s discussion focused on the European Union’s actions in an extremely complex international situation, including the future of the EU’s security and defence, its enlargement, the consequences of hybrid warfare and how to counter it, and the manipulation of information. Sessions included discussing the EU crisis response; the digital transition; international cultural relations and how the EU can work more closely with its allies.

Minister Sikorski appeared on a panel with the foreign ministers of Finland and the Netherlands delivering a speech on the role of diplomacy, with a particular focus on EU diplomacy and cooperation to achieve common goals. He stressed that the European Union and the European External Action Service are of paramount importance in continuing diplomacy towards third countries over Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and in effectively countering Moscow’s propaganda.

Minister Radosław Sikorski also met with Polish diplomats who serve as heads and deputy heads of EU delegations, as well as with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen. The meeting focused on supporting Ukraine, cooperation within NATO and transatlantic relations, and the priorities of the Finnish chairpersonship of the OSCE. The ministers also discussed security in the Baltic, in particular the activities of shadow fleet vessels and sanctioning their crews.