Informal meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers (Gymnich): Press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas upon arrival

First, we have our guests from India and Saudi Arabia, and of course, we are discussing the situation in the Middle East. We were expecting signatures on the agreement. So far, we do not have that, but right now, the Strait of Hormuz is in a strange state between war and peace. It is really in everybody's interest that freedom of navigation is respected in the Strait of Hormuz, because everybody ...
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Press briefing – EU-Western Balkans summit of 5 June 2026

The press briefing ahead of the EU-Western Balkans summit of 5 June 2026, will take place on Thursday 28 May 2026 at 14:30. This briefing will be "off the record". The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either in person at the Justus Lipsius press room or remotely. To attend the event remotely, please ...
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Council of EU: Enlargement: Albania meets interim benchmarks for fundamentals cluster

Today, the eighth meeting of the Accession Conference with Albania confirmed that Albania has, overall, met the interim benchmarks on the so-called cluster 1: fundamentals. This cluster covers notably the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform, the rule of law chapters and economic criteria. “Today’s milestone for Albania confirms the fulfilment of the interim ...
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HRVP Kallas travels to Cyprus to chair the ‘Gymnich’ informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers

High Representative/Vice-President (HR/VP) Kallas will travel to Cyprus on 27-28 May to chair the traditional ‘Gymnich’ informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers. The meeting will be hosted by Cyprus in the city of Limassol. The Foreign Ministers of India, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine have been invited to participate in specific discussions. The High Representative will give a doorstep at arou...
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Irish Presidency: ALDE Party Liberal Breakfast with Irish Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne

From 1 July, Ireland will take over the presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time since 2013. In a year marked by geopolitical instability and rapid political change, it is being viewed as a genuinely generational moment for the Union. To mark the occasion, ALDE Party hosted a the Press Club Brussels Europe on the 26 May 2026 a Liberal Breakfast in Brussels, where Minister for Euro...
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Media advisory – General Affairs Council and 8th Accession Conference with Albania, 26 May 2026

Indicative programme All times are approximate and subject to change Place: Europa building, Brussels Chair: Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European Affairs From 08:00 Arrivals (live streaming) +/- 08:00 Doorstep by Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister for European Affairs (live streaming) +/- 08:30 Informal breakfast: Ministers for the Future +/- 10:00 Beginning of the ...
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Türkiye: Statement by the Spokesperson on the decision by the 36th Ankara Regional Court of Justice

As an EU candidate country and a long-standing member of the Council of Europe, Türkiye is expected to uphold the highest democratic standards and practices. Democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights are central to the EU accession process. The Court’s decision on 21 May to annul the regular and extraordinary congresses of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), along with prev...
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Remarks by Kyriakos Pierrakakis following the Eurogroup meeting of 22 May 2026

First of all, I would like to warmly thank our Cypriot hosts for their excellent hospitality. Today's Eurogroup discussions took place at a particularly demanding juncture, at a time when Europe is being called upon to - and is showing that it can - respond with strategic direction, but also with political maturity. The prolonged instability in the Middle East is intensifying, and it's inten...
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EU-Mexico Strategic Dialogue: Joint press conference by High Representative/Vice President Kaja Kallas and Roberto Velasco, Mexico’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs

Dear Minister Velasco, dear Roberto, It is really a pleasure to be here in Mexico City and also in your Foreign Ministry. I really love the arts that you have here, everywhere you go. We saw each other recently, when you were in Brussels, and visiting our offices, really building the relationships for the future. Today, we are hosting the first ever Strategic Dialogue, with Mexico, and it...
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