On 19 November 2024, in Brussels, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dace Melbārde, took part in a meeting of the European Union (EU) General Affairs Council, at which preparations were made for the European Council meeting on 19-20 December.
On this date, which is the 1,000th day since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Parliamentary Secretary Dace Melbārde underlined at the meeting that EU leaders must send a strong political signal of a shared commitment to an increased support in order to help Ukraine win.
“Our goal is to ensure Ukraine is in the strongest position possible on the battlefield. Faster deliveries of weapons and ammunition are needed, funds from Russia’s immobilised assets must be used to support Ukraine’s military industry, restrictions on the use of military support against legitimate targets in Russia must be lifted, new sanctions must be developed against Russia, and pressure put on third countries supporting Russian aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine’s peace aspirations and the prospect of Ukraine’s EU membership should also be supported,” the Parliamentary Secretary emphasised.
Dace Melbārde also pointed out that strong EU-United States relations are essential; therefore, the focus should be placed on interests common for both sides and constructive cooperation. “Our fundamental priority is transatlantic security and support for Ukraine. This means ending Russia’s war by increasing military support for Ukraine and continued coordination in the implementation of sanctions,” Dace Melbārde said, as well as expressing confidence that working on a positive transatlantic agenda in economy and trade is essential for the economies of the EU and the U.S.
In a discussion on the role of cohesion policy in enhancing the competitiveness of the EU, the Parliamentary Secretary noted that cohesion policy, which aims to equalise prosperity across the EU, has been crucial for the economic development of Latvia and the Baltic region as a whole. Dace Melbārde stressed that cohesion policy has strengthened the EU’s competitiveness and remains an essential instrument for ensuring territorial, economic and social convergence.
“It is therefore vital to provide predictable and long-term support to those border Member States and regions most affected by Russian aggression against Ukraine,” the Parliamentary Secretary said.
Dace Melbārde also accentuated that cohesion policy should be simplified and rendered more flexible in order to allow Member States to react better and faster in response to challenges. Moreover, cohesion policy cannot solve all the emerging challenges on its own. It is therefore necessary to link new initiatives with an appropriate increase in funding and the overall amount of the new EU multi-annual budget after 2027.
In addition to the above, an exchange of views was held on the rule of law situation in four Member States – Austria, Malta, the Netherlands, and Poland. From Latvia’s perspective, the exchange of views and best practice through discussions in the framework of the rule of law dialogue is a valuable approach to strengthening the rule of law in the EU.
The European Commission provided information on current situation regarding respect for the EU values in Hungary in accordance with procedure under Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union. Latvia supports EC action in monitoring respect for the EU values.
Representatives from Member States will have an informal exchange of views on the role of cohesion policy in enhancing the competitiveness of the EU.
About the EU General Affairs Council
The General Affairs Council deals with matters affecting more than one EU policy, such as negotiations on EU enlargement, preparations for the meeting of the European Council, development of the EU’s multiannual budget, as well as the rule of law, institutional and administrative matters.