Good evening, everybody.
It is really a pleasure to be here. Thank you, Paulo, for hosting us, and it was so good to see sun, for a change. In Brussels it is quite deficit.
This city gave its name to the Treaty of Lisbon, which equipped the Union with institutions and instruments to act more effectively together on the global stage, and yet the world has changed profoundly since the Treaty was signed.
We just discussed, and we will discuss later today as well how we can make Europe’s external action stronger and more coherent. We have many levers of power in Europe. Our task is to make them pull all in the same direction. We also need to improve the decision-making when 26 Member States are ready to act. Europe should not be held back for years by the veto of one.
As the Minister mentioned as well, we have many other topics, including maritime security. I just visited European Maritime Safety Agency here in Lisbon earlier today, which provides critical situation awareness. They were also showing how they help authorities to track the vessels in real time, spot dangerous behavior, and train harbor inspectors. Its work is particularly relevant for the fight against the Russia’s shadow fleet. Freedom of navigation is under mounting pressure today. The Strait of Hormuz, the Black Sea, and Bab el-Mandeb have become the deadliest waterways on the planet.
More than 60 countries joined our pledge of “No Fees/No Tolls” to preserve the freedom of navigation. No ship should pay fees for the right of passage if it already has the right under international law.
Of course, we will talk about Ukraine. At least 45 civilians were killed this week in Russian airstrikes.
Europe continues to support all efforts towards peace, but there is little hope for imminent end to Russia’s war at the moment. For a just and lasting peace, we need to make sure that Russia ends the war, but that Russia also cannot start another war very soon. And that is why we prepared together with the European Foreign Ministers demands towards Moscow [and] we discussed with the Foreign Ministers, that should be basis for any negotiations. To be very clear, there are requests on the Russian side that actually concern Europe. It should be also very clear that we have requests on our side when it comes to just and lasting peace. [and] in the Middle East, any new military escalation between the US and Iran could have severe consequences for the region. I remain in close contact with the Gulf partners to support diplomatic initiatives for de-escalation.
Houthi attacks in Yemen and their strikes against Saudi Arabia further worsen regional security. EU naval operations that we have in the region play a vital role in protecting shipping. And I want to particularly thank also Portugal for its valuable contribution to Operation Atalanta.
Portugal is one of Europe’s strongest bridges to Latin America. We already discussed, but I am sure that we are going into more depth later on about recent developments in Brazil, Venezuela, but also Cuba, and also the summit that you just came from, I think this is really interesting, and I deeply value Portugal’s perspective on this.
Portugal’s engagement in Africa is equally important. Stability in Mozambique, in particular, matters for regional security and for our broader energy interests as well. Through the European Peace Facility, the EU has already provided €150 million in security assistance to the country, with further support expected. Portugal’s strong contribution to our EU Military Assistance Mission in Mozambique is crucial for its success.
Of course, the Atlantic matters to Europe’s security and deserves our greater attention. And here in Lisbon, you know how much it also depends on keeping those sea routes safe. When we talk about Cabo Verde and where we are also working together to secure its waters. We also have EPF assistance there that helps to strengthen the country’s capacity to protect maritime routes and combat trafficking and piracy.
Dear Paulo, this year we celebrate 40 years that Portugal has been in the European Union. Your country is [a] highly valued European Union Member and staunch advocate also for the multilateralism. We have a lot of issues to discuss and a lot is going on in the world. So, I really thank you for welcoming us here and having this opportunity to have this deep dive.
Q&A
Q. I would like to ask about the negotiations on peace on Ukraine that are scheduled next week for Abu Dhabi, and the role of the European Union in these talks, because the European Union is not going to be on the table next week. How do you see this? And you were saying that Europe also has demands for Russia, and how can you present them if you are not at the table? And also today, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Europe is speaking in many voices regarding Ukraine and asks that someone should be appointed by December as a voice to represent Europe on these talks. Do you agree with that?
Russia does not want us around that table, and like many times previously in history, the big countries really want to have the agreement between themselves and not involve others. But actually, the issues that Russia is interested in, also when it comes to sanctions, when it comes to frozen assets, all these things are European decisions. So, what we need to do in order to really be at the table [is that] we need to stay united, and I agree with Prime Minister Meloni as well that we should not speak with different voices. We should remain united to say that clearly these things that Russia wants also require European decision. If we are united in sending out this message, then actually we are also taken into account, and that is why it is also important the work that we have done with the Foreign Ministers, the requests that we have on the Russian side for all these issues that might be there on the other side. My point is that so far Russia is just presenting its maximum demands. All the pressure has been on Ukraine by Russia, but also other countries around that table. Now, to balance that negotiation position, we have agreed or prepared with the Foreign Ministers our negotiation starting point, which should be the basis of any kind of negotiations. Again, to say that all these things that they are interested in are not coming for free because we want lasting peace and just peace. That means that not only that they end the war, but we make sure that they do not start the war again.
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If I may add one thing, that Russia is not interested in peace, and if we are divided – why this “staying united” is so important? If we are divided, they are actually hoping that they can just wait us out. Why I am saying that they are not interested in peace, we are [on] Thursday today. Russia has killed 45 civilians this week. And this is what they continue to do. If we show that we are somehow divided and, like Prime Minister Meloni said, speak with different voices, many voices, many people, a lot of confusion, then it plays to Russia’s court. That is why it is very, very important that we stay on the message, we stay united, we keep to the work that we have already done. If Russia is presenting maximum demands, so are we to balance the negotiation table.
Q. [Inaudible] The so-called negotiations we have seen, Zelenskyy and Ukraine stepping back and giving back some lines to Russia, but Russia always stays on its same line from day zero. They go to the table and they do not concede anything. One of the tools that has been on the table has been the frozen assets. The use of the frozen assets in Europe has been strictly on taking assertive position on them. When or can you see on your way any light at the end of that? [inaudible]
First, actually, we are very united on frozen assets when it comes to the decision we made in December, saying that the assets remain frozen until Russia has paid reparations to Ukraine. That is the European position. Which means that there we have [a] completely united position. Now, of course, what we are struggling right now is that Ukraine needs funding to actually defend themselves, and then we know that all our countries are struggling with budget, and therefore the question comes: actually, the one who is causing the damage, which is Russia, should also pay for the damage. And then, of course, as we have the assets, then comes immediately the question: why do we not just take this and give this funding there? So, on this, the discussions regarding the burden or the risk-sharing between the Member States, so that it would be more evenly distributed, are ongoing because the frozen assets are with certain Member States, not with all. But I think the fundamental principle that is very important to stress is that for the release of these assets, we need everybody on board, and we have been united on saying that these assets remain frozen until Russia pays reparations. But in the meantime, working out solutions also [on] how we can solve this financing issue that they have right now.
Q. I wanted to ask about the upcoming budget, multiannual budget, and how do you think a balance can be struck between the growing need to invest in security and defence, which is a particular concern to Northern and Eastern European countries and the priorities to Southern countries like Portugal or Spain that are more focused on cohesion and competitiveness. Do you think a balance can be struck?
The MFF discussions are going on, and I also listen very carefully around that table, and there are very different views, and that is the beauty of European Union actually, that we have countries with very different views, and we debate. So, it is in in early stage, but I am sure that President Costa, is able to actually come together addressing the issues that are concerning all the Member States to have a compromise, and it is always a compromise, and that is not easy. And I assume that we will have long nights ahead during December EUCO, and before that, when we have the meetings to achieve a result. It is important what President Costa has said to get the result and get the agreement before the end of this year, considering also a lot of elections that are coming up next year. So, the work is ongoing and right now everybody is saying where they stand but eventually it is a compromise where everybody’s interests are taken into account and usually compromises are such that nobody is entirely happy which shows it is a compromise right.
Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-297051