On 15 October 2024, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dace Melbārde, took part in a meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union in Luxembourg, which held a discussion on draft conclusion of the European Council meeting on 17–18 October.
The Parliamentary Secretary called for an agreement to be reached as soon as possible on mobilizing EUR 6.6 billion under the European Peace Facility to provide Ukraine with the much-needed support, and she also urged for sustaining and strengthening of pressure on Russia.
In the context of the forthcoming leaders’ discussion on migration challenges, Dace Melbārde recalled that Latvia and several other Member States bordering Russia and Belarus were facing cases of migrant instrumentalisation, which requires EU-level solutions and funding.
In addition to the above-mentioned topics, the meeting concluded the 2024 European Semester cycle by approving country-specific recommendations to EU Member States, including Latvia, on their economic, social, employment, structural, and financial policies.
The meeting featured an exchange of views among Member States’ representatives on EU-Switzerland relations, as well as on information provided by the European Commission on relations between the EU and the United Kingdom. The Parliamentary Secretary pointed out that Latvia was in favour of moving ahead with negotiations, especially on the matters of foreign affairs, defence and security policy.
The Council also approved a declaration on fostering Jewish life and combating antisemitism, in light of escalation in the Middle East and the rise of antisemitism after 7 October 2023.