SLOVENIA, April 14 - At the meeting, ministers discussed the escalating situation in Ukraine, where Russian attacks are intensifying, the number of casualties continues to rise and there is still no ceasefire agreement in sight. Minister Fajon called for the EU to take more decisive action to put pressure on Russia, while maintaining contact with the US. “The EU must continue to exert pressure on Russia, particularly through sanctions and their consistent enforcement. We need to establish what more can be done through diplomacy, as the EU, to end the killing, displacement and destruction. Every day, more lives are lost, and children, who are the future of Ukraine, are among the victims. Greater attention must be paid to the return of more than 19,000 abducted Ukrainian children who were forcibly taken from the occupied territories by Russia. These are war crimes and clear violations of international law. This issue must remain a humanitarian priority and part of the peace negotiations,” added Minister Fajon. So far, Slovenia has provided assistance to Ukraine in many fields, including demining, rehabilitation of war victims, psychosocial assistance for children, health care and community empowerment. “Slovenia will continue to strongly support Ukraine including in the area of defence. We have recently announced a further contribution to the Czech Joint Ammunition Procurement Initiative,” Fajon underlined.
A similar situation is unfolding in the Middle East, where a two-state solution – for Israel and Palestine – remains out of reach. “How many more lowest points must there be? There is still no sign of progress towards a lasting ceasefire and the release of all hostages,” she said, adding: “The two-state solution must remain at the core of our efforts.”
Minister Fajon also reported on her visits to Togo and Benin on behalf of the EU, and drew attention to the catastrophic situation in Sudan. 15 April will mark two years since the outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. “It is urgent to prevent further fragmentation and destabilisation of the neighbourhood and to step up our efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire in Sudan and provide humanitarian aid,” said Minister Tanja Fajon, welcoming the efforts of the EU Special Representative for the Horn of Africa, Annette Weber.
During the debate on the Western Balkans, which was also held at Slovenia’s initiative, Minister Fajon stressed that the enlargement of the European Union to include the Western Balkan countries must remain one of the key priorities. She underlined that the EU must adopt a proactive approach, as the situation in the region, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia, remains unpredictable. “The EU needs to strengthen its presence and visibility in the region. We believe that the progress made by Montenegro and Albania on the path to EU enlargement demonstrates that joint efforts can lead to faster integration, and that we must do more to extend this success to the entire region. We must strive to maintain the momentum in Montenegro and Albania, as the region needs a success story. The evening prior to the EU Foreign Affairs Council, EU ministers met with six counterparts from the Western Balkans to review the current situation, the roadmap and the state of play regarding the approximation to the European Union.
On the margins of the Luxembourg meeting, the EU’s high-level dialogue with the Palestinian Authority focused on the need for the EU to continue its political and financial support to the Palestinian Authority as well as to support its empowerment and return to Gaza. “Financial support is a strategic investment with a clear objective: achieving regional stability and advancing towards a two-state solution. We need a capable Palestinian Authority that can deliver basic services and prepare for the future governance of Gaza,” said Minister Fajon, stressing that Slovenia fully supports the Arab Plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, as it provides the foundation for a coordinated international effort. “It must become possible to live in Gaza again,” she added.