Good afternoon, everybody. 

It is great to be here in Warsaw again and this Gymnich format meeting where we had very frank, very open discussions on very many issues that are topical today.  

Of course, first Ukraine. There is extensive diplomacy going on. But it is clear that Russia shows no signs of wanting peace. What we have to do is put more pressure on Russia so that also Russia would want peace because we know that Ukraine already agreed to unconditional ceasefire over 50 days ago. We also have to support Ukraine so that they can defend themselves. So, what do we do for this? 

We are working on the 17th sanctions package, which hopefully we are ready to adopt on the next Foreign Affairs Council. Then, we just recently issued the roadmap to get rid of Russian energy and also how we deal with the shadow fleet. That is also part [from] where the funding for this war is coming. Then, how we [can] support [more] Ukraine. Then, the security guarantees that the Coalition of the Willing is discussing but also on the European side, we have the training missions [where] we can also discuss what [we can do] more in this regard. 

Tomorrow, we are going to Ukraine, and we are going to make available [€]1 billion for Ukraine's defence industry. I think again [this is a] very important sign for Ukraine. [Tomorrow,] we will also give the final political endorsement to start [the] establishment of [a] war crimes tribunal [for] crimes of aggression. There will be no impunity. There will be accountability for the crimes committed. Also, [for] those who have really started this war. And, as we have the 9th of May tomorrow - which is the Europe day - I want to stress that all those who truly support peace cannot stand side by side with Putin, who has started this full-scale war of aggression in Ukraine. Those who truly support peace should be in Ukraine rather than in Moscow tomorrow.  

Then, we also discuss key peace parameters that we have already agreed [on] previously. First independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, [and] node jure recognition of occupation or occupied territories. The ceasefire has to be full, unconditional and implemented immediately. There has to be also [a] strong monitoring system and it has to be clear on different elements.   

Then, no restriction to Ukraine's right to self-defence, that means no demilitarisation of Ukraine. Robust security guarantees are needed for any peace to last. Then, Ukraine's freedom to its future, that means no neutrality. Also, Ukraine is on track of the EU accession. We also stressed that the prisoners of war have to be returned and the deported children have to be returned and detained civilians as well.

Sanctions must stay in place [until] Russia pay[s] for the damages that they have caused. No negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine and no negotiations about European security without Europe.   

Then, although it was not on the agenda, what is happening in Gaza is on everybody's mind and therefore we also discussed this. The majority of European countries agreed that the situation in Gaza is untenable and rapidly deteriorating. These plans to intensify military operation in Gaza will lead to further suffering of civilian population. We reject any attempt of demographic or territorial changes in [the] Gaza Strip as well forced displacement of Palestinian population. We urge Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza immediately and ensure that the humanitarian aid reaches the people who are in need. The humanitarian aid has to respect the principles of humanitarian action, which means humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence. We also demand that all the remaining hostages are immediately released and the parties resume the ceasefire. 

Then, on Pakistan and India, I - today again - spoke to both ministers to convey the messages of de-escalation. I think nobody wins from this war. It is clear that they have to really exercise restraint. There is always a risk of miscalculation, and I hope that we can bring the tensions down. Of course, we condemn terrorism and any loss of life on the side of the India as well as Pakistan.

It is important that the channels of communication remain open and will be opened by the military commanders. I hope that so we can all convey these messages to really bring the tensions down. The world does not need another war.  

Thank you.  

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-271239  

Q&A 

Q. High Representative, you said Europeans should be tomorrow in in Ukraine, not in Moscow. So, President Vučić – Serbia's President - decided to go to Moscow despite calls not to do it. What is your message to him? What did you tell his Foreign Minister - I think he was present today? What will be impact in general on Serbia’s accession to the EU? 

On the positive side, Serbian military is not participating at the parade. That would have been a really next level step. But, of course, it remains on the conscience of all these people who are [standing] side by side [with] Putin who is waging a war right now - not in history, but right now - the biggest war in Europe since the Second World War. Like I said before, Member States are not taking this lightly and then when we are discussing next steps, the member states have a lot of questions: who is your friend, with whom [are] you really dealing with. 

Q. After two months of humanitarian blockade and the adoption of the Israeli government of its “conquest plan of Gaza", what is the way forward for the EU? Do you feel that there can be a consensus to go beyond condemnation of the situation, and should we put more pressure on Israel? And, in a letter, the Foreign Minister of Netherlands asked to review of the Article 2 of the current EU-Israel Association Council to see room to address this demand. 

Yesterday, we discussed this intensively and the frustration among the Member States that we cannot stop this is tremendous. One of the proposals was from the Foreign Minister of [the] Netherlands and we agreed that we will discuss this proposal on the next Foreign Affairs Council that takes place on the 20th of May. Of course, [we will be] brainstorming what more [we] can do. You know very well that on certain issues we have very divergent views. If you do not hear our discussions that we have inside the rooms, just listen to the European Parliament and the discussions there about Gaza and Israel, and you get the flavour what the differences [are] between different Member States. But we will try to find ways to sanction violent settlers. We have tried that before, but the situation has changed, so we will definitely make again efforts.  

Q. The 17th sanctions package that has been prepared by the Commission, when will it be approved? What will be the main tenants of this package apart of targeting the shadow fleet and how do you assess also the old 16th packages of sanctions? 

On the 17^th package, we aim to adopt it by the Foreign Affairs Council that is happening on the 20th of May. What is in it? There is a lot of things that are in it, but as long as it is not agreed, it is not fully agreed. So, I will not open - you said the shadow fleet, that is truly there and there are other elements there as well. I am happy that we put forward a package and like the Minister said they are biting. I think that in order for Russia to want peace we have to put more pressure and sanctions is one of the tools.  

Q. Foreign Minister, yesterday you said “Europe should prepare for the US washing its hands of Europe”. Do you think your other 26 colleagues here today - you had the discussion on US relations - agree with you? And if not, why not? High Representative, do you also agree with what Mr Sikorski said about that? 

The discussions we had [on] EU-US relations are very important and so we discussed how to make them better. But it is no secret to any of you that there are difficulties with the new administration. Definitely, we are working stressing the positive sides and the transatlantic bond is very important. And, recently, we heard the good messages coming from the other side of [the] Atlantic, saying that we are close with Europe and – what was it from the conference that Vice President Vance actually said there are positive signals also towards Europe. I am optimist by nature, so I think we are on a positive path. 

Q. President Macron said earlier this week that he would urge the European Union to end sanctions on Syria when they come up for renewal in June. Do you agree with him that these sanctions should be allowed to expire?  

Thank you. We have currently ongoing discussions about the sanctions relief on Syria and I was happy to read that actually President Macron is in favour of the relief of sanctions. I hope that also goes to the working level. 

Q. The United States administration has said that it will step back from the mediation process and that Ukraine and Russia should now be involved in direct talks. Is this something that the EU will support - direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia with Ukraine of course saying that it would not agree to such a solution until a ceasefire is there in place? 

It is clear that no negotiations can go on when the war is waging. First there has to be ceasefire so that the parties can sit down. But it is clear that the war is between Russia and Ukraine and it is also Russia and Ukraine that need to agree on what is the end of this. 

Q. You just mentioned the very different news about your announcement on the Special Tribunal tomorrow in Lviv. We know that the US who supported this tribunal basically disappeared from the core group - it did not attend the last meeting. So, what does this imply for the accountability on the crime of aggression in Ukraine? Also, in which scenario do you see the US actually coming back to the core group? 

First on the accountability, we have the international law in place that says, all United Nations Charter's principles are valid and, there is,  [the] question about the accountability, what happens if you breach those principles. We, [the core group,] have reached first have reached agreement on [a] technical level on how this tribunal will be set up and now we also have the endorsement at political level. So, it will be done by the Council of Europe. So, also the Secretary General of the Council of Europe will join us via video tomorrow and it is important that the agreement is there. I just [want] to remind you that after the Second World War, the UN was also established not by all the countries - and the UN Charter - but by those core countries. So of course, countries can join when they wish to. But it is important that we have the registry of the crimes [and that] we have a technical details [on] how it is going to work. It will be set up then by the Council of Europe to address the crime of aggression and war crimes. 

Q. You just announced €1 billion more for the Ukrainian defence industry. I was wondering if you could give us more details on that. Is it part of your initiatives - the so-called Kallas initiative?  

Thank you. If you want to have the concrete name of the initiative that this €1 billion goes [to], then it is the Danish initiative because it is the defence industry initiative to support the Ukraine's defence industry. We are going to make available the funds from different Member States to defence industry. It is separate from the ammunition initiative we are still working and also gathering support for. 

Q. Did you discuss the Commission's proposal of a ban or a phase out of Russian gas imports by the end of 2027? If you did, could you give us or could you kind of draw us the mood picture, the willingness of the Member States to comply to accept? You mentioned that a majority of Member states agreed that situation in Gaza is untenable. What do you mean with majority and is correct you had planned to publish a written statement but had to go back [inaudible] statement due to kind of blockage of Member States? 

First, on the energy roadmap. So, yes it was mentioned and mostly - actually by 26 - it was welcomed to and by one it was not welcomed. We are definitely, working with this further and that was good. The arguments that this road map cannot be used because of energy limitations to get access to energy. Then, it was good to see around the table Member States actually offering help to solve the problem – if that is the real problem. But, of course, the Foreign Ministers are not in the position. It is not our file to discuss, but because it was a big thing, then very briefly we touched upon this. 

On Gaza, the mood around room is, like I say, that this situation is untenable. That is the mood around the room. But like it is very often with our common statements is that they get stuck with certain words and sentences. But I think I can speak – and you [Minister] can also assist me there - the broad majority of the Member States that this is the position that was pushed and what I was also reiterating before. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-271810