In her statement on the 26th of January on behalf of all Member States, the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini called Mr. Nicolás Maduro for the urgent holding of free, transparent and credible presidential elections. The statement indicated that in the absence of an announcement on the organisation of democratic elections over the next days, the EU would take further actions, including on the issue of recognition of the country´s leadership, in line with article 233 of the Venezuelan constitution.

It was the fifth time foreign ministers met as part of the EU-League of Arab States dialogue. The participants discussed cooperation between both organizations, and key problems of mutual interest.

On Monday, 4 February, the chief of Polish diplomacy will travel to Brussels to attend an EU-League of Arab States ministerial meeting. It is the fifth time the event is organized as part of the EU-League of Arab States dialogue, which was inaugurated in Malta in 2008.

Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz talked today on the phone with Foreign Minister Roberto Ampuero Espinoza of Chile on the developments in Venezuela.

"We welcome Slovenia's active role in the Berlin Process, which is one of Poland's foreign policy priorities," the deputy chief of Polish diplomacy said in Ljubljana, where he met with his Slovenian counterpart Dobran Božič.

Cooperation with China dominated the second day of the Gymnich meeting in Bucharest. EU foreign ministers also continued their discussion on the Western Balkans.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly denies that, in his interview for Der Spiegel, Minister Jacek Czaputowicz had allegedly demanded that US nuclear missiles be deployed in Europe. The title of the article, which appeared today in the online version of the weekly, does not reflect the substance of his interview.

On 31 January, representatives of the European Commission headed by Ms. Céline Gauer, Deputy Secretary-General of the EC, met with members of the Polish government to discuss the state of preparations for the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU. The consultations with the European Commission were opened by Konrad Szymański, Secretary of State for European affairs.

The first day of the Gymnich meeting of EU foreign ministers in Bucharest was devoted to the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and developments in Venezuela.

The chief of Polish diplomacy will attend a Gymnich meeting of EU foreign ministers in Bucharest on 31 January and 1 February.