On 14-15 July 2022, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, participated in the informal meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union (EU) in Prague, Czech Republic. The meeting focused on providing assistance to Ukraine, an issue that has been highlighted as one of the main priorities of the 2022 Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, Olha Stefanishyna, also took part in the meeting.
Prior to the plenary session of the General Affairs Council, the Parliamentary Secretary met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine for European integration. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica and Olha Stefanishyna discussed issues related to the provision of immediate support for the reconstruction of Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure. They also highlighted the areas in which Ukraine could seek to learn from Latvia’s experience.
The Parliamentary Secretary, referring to interest expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister, Olha Stefanishyna, confirmed Latvia's readiness to share knowledge that could be essential for Ukraine and that is based on our experience. This will allow Ukraine to effectively use the opportunities offered by the process of accession to the EU and accelerate the transformation of state administration and the economy.
At the General Affairs Council meeting, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica emphasized: “Ukraine is fighting a full-scale war, which affects every single aspect of everyday life and state functions. Granting EU candidate country status to Ukraine was much needed for Ukrainians to see a firm and clear European perspective for their country and to maintain their high morale and motivation in the fight against Russia. The EU’s decision clearly anchors Ukraine on the EU map. The decision of granting candidate status imparts more certainty to Ukraine’s reconstruction process and predictability for economic recovery and growth in the region.”
The Parliamentary Secretary expressed Latvia's support for the priorities set by the Czech Presidency in the Council of the EU. There is a need for close coordination in the EU concerning the reconstruction process of Ukraine. At the same time, the EU must work on legal solutions for a unified framework for the confiscation of the frozen Russian assets and their use for the reconstruction of Ukraine, the Parliamentary Secretary emphasized.
“Our vested interest is Russia’s defeat. Any gains for Russia from this war will mean the risk of further aggression. That will cause an even greater negative impact on global security and the economy. We must support Ukraine in all possible ways,” the Parliamentary Secretary emphasized.
During the General Affairs Council meeting, a discussion was held on topics regarding the stability of European democratic institutions in maintaining and strengthening democratic values and the rule of law in the EU. An exchange of views was also held on the implementation of proposals submitted by EU citizens to the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Background information
The meetings of the General Affairs Council are held once a month, while the informal General Affairs Council convenes once every six months. In the second half of 2022, the meetings of the General Affairs Council are chaired by the Czech Republic, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the EU.
Photo: Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica and Minister of European of the Czech Republic Affairs Mikuláš Bek