Videoconference of the heads of diplomacy of EU Member States
19.04.2021
The situation in Ukraine and Ethiopia were the main topics of the videoconference of the EU foreign ministers. The Council also held a discussion with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmitry Kuleba. Poland was represented by Minister Zbigniew Rau.
In his statement on the recent events in Ukraine, the chief of Polish diplomacy referred to his recent visit to Kiev (April 8 this year), which took place in a situation of mounting military pressure from Russia. Minister Rau called for concrete steps to be taken by the EU to support Ukraine and prevent further escalation of tensions. He also recalled the need for the EU to consistently implement its policy of not recognizing the illegal annexation of Crimea.
In addition, Minister Rau joined the appeal from other member states for EU action on behalf of Alexei Navalny, whose health condition in the penal colony is deteriorating dramatically. He also expressed his solidarity with the Czech Republic, which released a group of Russian diplomats in response to the results of the investigation pointing to their responsibility for the explosion of an ammunition depot in the country in 2014.
In the discussion devoted to the events in Belarus, the chief of Polish diplomacy drew attention to the continuation of repression by the authorities against civil society, including the Polish minority, and called for EU solidarity in this matter. The head of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs also recalled the expected presentation by the European Commission of the economic support plan for a democratic Belarus, which would be a concrete and necessary signal for the society fighting for democratic change.