[Today we are at the] Foreign Affairs Council and I hope it will be the last [one of my mandate]. If nothing happens, it will be the last [one].
We have on the agenda important issues. The political landscape has changed a lot in the last five years. When I came here five years ago, we were talking mainly about Sahel, about Libya, about Bolivia.
Now, you know, the issue is [Russia’s] war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. These two items will be very high on the agenda today.
Mainly because Putin answered to any attempts to talk, to negotiate, by launching the heaviest attack against civilian infrastructure [during the weekend] – in particular, energy infrastructure.
It has been the heaviest attack in months, using a high number of drones and attacking the connection of the civilian infrastructure, in particular the electricity [grid]. So, it does not look like he is willing to negotiate, on the contrary.
At the beginning of my mandate, I said that we have to learn to use the language of power. [Do you] remember? Well, that is, today, even more true than five years ago. In order to use the language of power, to show that you do have power, you have to be united.
If you are not united, you cannot show power. Too many times, we have not been united. Too many times, discussions took too long.
You cannot pretend to be a geopolitical power if you are taking days and weeks and months to reach agreements to act.
My last call to my colleagues will be to be more united and take decisions quicker. The [world’s] events do not wait for you.
Russia is not stopping the war because you are thinking about it. Every time we took decisions to support Ukraine it took too long. Every time there was a hesitation – should we do [this], should we not do [this].
[Meanwhile,] the war continues raging, Ukrainian people need more support. We have to provide this support, stop discussing and start acting quicker.
I am sorry that maybe I will not be able to make my last proposal about the [unblocking of the] European Peace Facility, but I still have hope.
Then, [regarding] the situation in the Middle East, there is no more words. I exhausted the words to explain what is happening in the Middle East. The under-Secretary General of the United Nations for humanitarian affairs said [it] very clearly a couple of days ago: about 44,000 people [have been] killed in Gaza.
The whole area has been destroyed. 70% of the people being killed in Gaza, are women or children. If you have a look at the ages, the most frequent casualties children below 9 years old. Children below 9 years old are the most frequent casualty caused by this war.
I will present to the colleagues a proposal to study what are the decisions that could be taken [to ensure] compliance with the Association Council, from the point of view of human rights.
Also, which measures can be taken in order to be sure that we fulfill all commitments not to trade with the products produced on occupied Palestinian territories – according with the rules of the International Court of Justice.
We will discuss about it. We will discuss also about the situation created by the elections in the United States. We are facing a completely different political landscape, and Europeans have to be ready to act without waiting to react to the United States’ decisions.
This is the events and intense agenda of this last Foreign Affairs Council meeting.
Q & A
Q: The people of Georgia are demanding international investigation. Is that realistic, and what would be your decision towards it?
I did not mention Georgia because it is evident that Georgia is something that today everybody will be discussing. There are concrete decisions to be taken. I proposed to stop supporting an important part of the programmes that go to the government – more than €100 million will be frozen, instead of being allocated to the government, it will be allocated to the civil society organisations. We will take this money, about €100 million and give the money to civil society organisations to support them in their fight for fair elections. The people of Georgia will continue [to be] supported by the European Union. The process of [EU accession] is being put on hold, it is stopped, until the Georgian government goes back to the [European] track. To go back on the track, a lot of things have to change. In the meantime, we will use the money that was allocated to the government for the people who are fighting for their freedom [and European values].
Q: [Inaudible] Is it possible to have some international investigation? Also, this will be one additional measure today recommended by you, or maybe something else?
Certainly, there will have to be investigations. What has happened has to be fully assessed. You cannot say that the elections were not free and fair and not investigate them. We started, since the beginning, asking the government to clarify everything related to the complaints of the people. So, obviously there will have to be an investigation and obviously there has to be accountability.
Q: [Inaudible] Will the European Union foreign policy change or will it stay as before?
I do not have a crystal ball. We will discuss about it.
Q: Over the last few months there has been [inaudible] talks of a peace deal in Gaza and Lebanon. At the European Council, during the last meetings, you said that you are determined to see this prevail. Now, the chances for a peace deal [inaudible], do you see that more distant than before?
Many people try to stop the war in Gaza. The United States have put a lot of pressure, many of my colleagues travelled a lot to the Middle East, putting pressure to release the hostages and to stop the war. This has not happened yet. I do not see hope for this to happen [soon]. That is why we have to put pressure on the Israeli government. Also, obviously on Hamas alike. Both sides have to be put under pressure. That is why there are concrete proposals today on the table. A concrete proposal in order to see if what is happening in Gaza is in accordance with international law. This is the most important [matter].
Q: Can you say on Ukraine, how can you be optimistic regarding what is happening now in the United States and Trump’s plan and what is happening also in Europe?
Well, the only thing I know is that we have to continue supporting Ukraine as much as we can and quicker, as quick as we can. I travelled to Ukraine. I spent three days there, visiting people, visiting the army, visiting civil society, the factories of drones and the factories of everything Ukrainians need to defend [themselves]. I do not see any difference between today and yesterday. Ukraine needs our support, and we have to continue providing this support. Nothing has changed from our point of view. There is a war. Ukraine is defending itself. Russia continues attacking, and we have to continue supporting Ukraine to defend [itself]. And that is all. That is the only answer that seriously we can provide today to the Ukrainians.
Q: Did Ukraine get permission to hit targets on Russian territory with long-distance weapons?
You know my position. I have been saying, once and again, that Ukrainians should be able to use the arms we provide to them not only to stop the arrows, but also to be able to hit the archers. I will continue believing this is what has to be done. I am sure it will be discussed once again. I hope Member States will agree on that. If not, anyone will do whatever they believe according with the need to support Ukraine.
Q: How do you see the phone call of German chancellor Olaf Scholtz with Vladimir Putin? Was it a good idea to do it?
Frankly speaking, I do not know what Chancellor Scholtz talked about with President Putin. I am sure that this is in the framework of continued support to Ukraine. This is my job: to continue supporting Ukraine. Nothing else than that. Whoever talks with whomever, I do not mind, I do not care. My job is to make the Foreign Affairs Council follow the lines that we decided, and the European Council has decided: to support Ukraine to make Ukrainians able to resist.
Q: Would you call Vladimir Putin?
Me? I do not think so.
Q: Mister Borrell, about the Global coalition for the Two-State Solution. What do you think about linking this coalition with the pressure to implement the humanitarian aid?
The coalition is to build the two-State solution, to build the Palestinian State. The coalition of the willing is to make people work together in order to make possible the Palestinian State has a chance, has a chance to happen. This will not come because we plea, it will not come because we ask for, it will come because we act. There was a meeting in Riad. There will be another meeting in Brussels in the last day of my term. Until the last day of my term, we will continue pushing the Member States to support the Palestinian State in practical matters. Not just to say “we support the Palestinian State”, but to engage practically in order to make it possible.
Q: What do you think of the peace plan from the former Israeli Prime Minister and Former Palestinian Foreign Minister?
We were discussing yesterday night about it. Look, every time that the Palestinians and Israelis work together to look for a peace, that is good news. Every time that someone from one side meets with someone from the other side, overcoming the lack of empathy, and trying to make peace a reality, that is very good news.
Q: Are they working on a realistic [one]?
Well, they look realistic – what does it mean to be realistic, at these tragic moments? I think it is a matter of will and a matter of putting in the table things that can be discussed and the international community can support. I appreciate these kinds of initiatives – and it is not the only one, we have our own initiative. We spent yesterday night’s interesting dinner with some Ministers and I think that we have to support everybody that has the good will of looking for peace, talking with each side.
- Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-264045