Christian Wigand

These are crucial weeks for Ukraine. It was good to meet Foreign Minister @andrii_sybiha at the G7 in Paris. However peace talks unfold, Europe will have Ukraine’s back. Sanctions on Moscow stay in place and will be strengthened. We should not fall for Russian narratives about their alleged security concerns. NATO is a defensive alliance and has never threatened Russia. Respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to freely choose alliances are fundamental principles, not bargaining chips.

Over 20,500 children have been illegally deported from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia. The treatment of Ukraine’s children over the last four years is the clearest example of Russia’s total disregard for life. Russia can only run its horrific system of child deportation, indoctrination and illegal adoption thanks to a network of people and entities. The EU has sanctioned those responsible and will keep working to bring Ukrainian kids home. My speech in #EPlenary ↓

The tragic loss of life in the shooting in Kraków is a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland. I have conveyed my heartfelt condolences to @sikorskiradek. My thoughts are with the victims and their families and the first responders. Poland’s strength lies in the resilience of its people. In this moment of grief, Poland does not stand alone.

Putin does not have a veto over European security. Any agreement to end the war must prevent Russia from re-arming and re-attacking. This is why earlier this year, I put forward a paper with core demands towards Moscow, which was discussed by EU Foreign Ministers. This should be the basis for any negotiations. Concessions should be on the aggressor, not on the victim. My press remarks in Warsaw alongside @sikorskiradek and @andrii_sybiha ↓

Enlargement has been the EU’s most successful foreign policy. It is also a direct investment in Europe's security. Every round of enlargement has strengthened our continent. Today's geopolitical reality makes the next one more urgent. My press remarks with @MartaKosEU for the presentation of our report on enlargement ↓

The UK is a vital partner for European security. With Defence Secretary @wesstreeting, we held our Foreign and Security Policy Dialogue in Brussels. Our Security and Defence Partnership is delivering. We are working together to counter hybrid threats and foreign information manipulation, and our close cooperation on sanctions continues. At the EU-UK Summit in two weeks, we will take next steps.

I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives in an @EUFORAlthea helicopter crash near Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and all those affected. EUFOR personnel serve every day to support peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their work remains vital. I have conveyed my heartfelt condolences to @Antonio_Tajani and @GuidoCrosetto. Europe stands in full solidarity with Italy at this difficult time. We remain in close contact with the EUFOR Commander and our EU representatives on the ground.

Russia’s deadly attack on the Dnipro train station is yet another brutal assault on Ukrainian civilians. It makes abundantly clear that Moscow is not interested in peace. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims and their families. At the EU-Canada Summit and the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, I will urge partners to further strengthen our support for Ukraine and advance accountability, including through the Special Tribunal and Claims Commission. Russia must be held accountable.

Russian attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea are unjustifiable and pile heavy pressure on global food supplies. The latest deadly drone strike on a cargo ship near Romanian waters is another escalation. Romania’s Foreign Minister @DanNeculaescu and I spoke yesterday about the deteriorating regional security situation and we remain in close contact.

EU Member States are serious about protecting the @IntlCrimCourt and a world governed by international law. In The Hague, I met ICC President Tomoko Akane to convey the EU’s strong support for the Court, its judges, and their work. The European Council has expressed its deep regret over the U.S. announcement to impose sanctions against the ICC and has urged to reverse them. The EU will use the next six months for dialogue, to find a solution and explore what more we can do to help the Court. The Sakharov Prize recognises the ICC’s vital work in giving victims of the gravest crimes a voice. The Court must remain able to pursue justice independently, free from pressure or intimidation.

Russia’s intensifying attacks on Black Sea shipping are a threat to regional and global food security. I discussed this with Romania’s new Foreign Minister @DanNeculaescu, alongside NATO’s strengthened regional posture and the urgent need to get the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub operational. I also raised the vital role of Solidarity Lanes in bringing Ukrainian grain to world markets. I look forward to working together to support Ukraine and Moldova and make Europe stronger.

I had an extensive discussion with my colleague @HakanFidan on a range of issues. Good neighbourly relations and advancing the Cyprus settlement process are of high importance. I raised yesterday’s Libyan vote on a maritime MoU with Türkiye and stressed that it infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states. On Russia’s dangerous Black Sea escalation, I emphasised the need to step up the pressure on Moscow to end the war. The EU and Türkiye both support a Black Sea freedom of navigation arrangement. We also addressed developments in the South Caucasus and across the Middle East. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemen are textbook terror tactics and must end. In the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is making shipping dangerous and expensive. Freedom of navigation must be restored without tolls or fees.

The Houthis use textbook terror tactics against civilians in Yemen and Saudi Arabia to sow fear in the region. In the Red Sea, operation Aspides plays a crucial role in protecting shipping against Houthi threats. Aspides has escorted hundreds of vessels to safety and its role is now more visible and in demand. My intervention in #EPlenary ↓