Russia sanctions are ‘priority’ for Irish presidency of EU – Helen McEntee
By Jonathan McCambridge, Press Association
Further sanctions against Russia are a “major foreign policy priority” for the Irish presidency of the EU, Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee has said.
The minister is in Brussels to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers, the first meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) under Ireland’s EU presidency.
Ministers will discuss a range of issues, including the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East.
They will also have an exchange with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during the third EU-GCC High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation.
Ms McEntee will also co-host an event with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, which will focus on Ukrainian detainees in the occupied territories in Ukraine.
She will also attend a meeting of the Palestine Donor Group.
Ms McEntee said: “I look forward to working closely with High Representative Kallas and our EU partners to secure progress across all the priorities we have set for the council over the next six months.
“Ensuring continued support for Ukraine will be central to our work for the next six months.
“We were honoured to host President Zelensky in Dublin on the first day of our EU presidency.
“It was also important that we begin our term with an event that highlights a key issue for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
“During my visit to Ukraine in March, I saw first-hand the terrible crimes inflicted upon innocent civilians by Russian forces at Bucha.”
She added: “It is essential that we maintain our support for Ukraine and keep pressure on Russia.
“As we have seen with Russia’s continued indiscriminate missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, Moscow continues to show no interest in peace.
“It is clear that our sanctions are having an impact.
“I have been clear in saying that further sanctions against Russia are a major foreign policy priority for the Irish presidency.”
The minister said a “significant focus” of the meetings in Brussels would be the Middle East.
She said: “The recent exchange of fire between Iran and the US risks undermining the agreement on a ceasefire and of the ongoing talks required to address the issues that remain in the region.
“We will meet with our Gulf counterparts to discuss how the European Union can assist efforts to de-escalate the situation which, as we all know, has a direct financial impact on European citizens.
“Iran’s latest attacks on Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan are unacceptable, as are its attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Freedom of navigation must be upheld, in accordance with international law. As I emphasised during my recent visit to the Gulf, only the hard work of dialogue and diplomacy will bring lasting stability and security to the region.”
Ms McEntee said: “We will also discuss the catastrophic situation in Gaza and the West Bank. Conditions continue to deteriorate.
“With my counterparts on the council, I will seek to build consensus around a position that addresses the consistent violations of human rights and international law by the current Israeli government, which undermine the viability of the two-state solution.
“This will include trying to reach an agreement at the EU level to address trade with illegal settlements.”