News

On 19 March in Brussels, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius attended the Foreign Affairs Council meeting, which discussed Russia’s elections on Sunday, the development in England’s city of Salisbury, the future of Ukraine, as well as situations in Syria, Iran and on the Korean Peninsula.

Linkevičius said that “Russia’s elections are not considered to be free and democratic, while holding them on the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea was a symbolic act that has once again demonstrated disregard for the principles of international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity”.

EU foreign ministers condemned the Salisbury attack and expressed the EU’s solidarity with the UK and their support, including for the UK’s efforts to bring those responsible to justice.

“We stand in solidarity with the United Kingdom and are ready to respond jointly”, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister said.

After the Council meeting, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini announced about the statement by the Foreign Affairs Council on the Salisbury attack. EU foreign ministers agreed to closely monitor the situation and urged Russia to respond promptly to questions raised by the UK.

The Council also debated the issue of Ukraine. EU foreign ministers discussed the latest developments in Syria with the UN Secretary General Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura and the upcoming conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region” on 24 and 25 April in Brussels.

As regards Iran, EU foreign ministers voiced their unanimous support for the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Iran nuclear deal). EU foreign ministers and the South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha also discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula and a possible path to de-escalating a growing crisis.

For more information about the meeting, please click here.