Minister Schallenberg Reassured Support for Ukraine at EU Ministers Meeting
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg participated in a meeting of foreign Ministers of all European Union states. He reassured support for Ukraine and the Western Balkans was a subject of this meeting.
Minister Schallenberg Attended the EU Minister Meeting Where he Praised the Normalisation Process between Kosovo and Serbia and Reassured Support for Ukraine. / Picture: © BMEIA Bundesministerium für Europa, Integration und Äußeres / Gruber / Flickr Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled to Brussels today, March 20 for the meeting of EU foreign ministers to discuss further developments in the Russian war of aggression and, in particular, further aid for Ukraine. In addition, the normalization process between Serbia and Kosovo, further sanctions against Iran, and the situation in Tunisia were topics of the Foreign Affairs Council. In Brussels, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg also took part in the European Humanitarian Forum.
At the meeting of EU foreign ministers, there was broad agreement on further support for Ukraine and continued solidarity with the Ukrainian people. During the exchange, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg stressed that there should be no impunity for war crimes and Russian aggression. Austria has therefore joined the core group of those countries that support the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression.
Following positive steps in the normalization process between Serbia and Kosovo, foreign ministers exchanged views on relations between the two countries. An agreement was reached in Ohrid over the weekend through the mediation of EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák and provides for the settlement of important points of contention. The implementation of the results of the negotiations and further steps to resolve the long-standing conflict are indispensable conditions for European integration and the stability of the entire region.
In response to the ongoing repression of protests in Iran and violence by Iranian security authorities, the Council also adopted further sanctions. Because of continued uranium enrichment, foreign ministers called for close, independent monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Even though Iran is currently on a confrontational course, further negotiations are needed to stop proliferation.