site.btaForeign Minister Georgiev Attends EU Foreign Affairs Council

Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev participated in a regular EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday, his Ministry said.

EU foreign ministers discussed a number of key international issues, including Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, Syria, Iran and EU-US relations.

During the discussion with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sibiha, Minister Georgiev expressed Bulgaria's support for the outcome of the Jeddah talks between the US and Ukraine, including the proposed ceasefire agreement and the resumption of intelligence sharing and security assistance to Ukraine. The first Bulgarian diplomat underscored that peace in Ukraine must be lasting, just and based on the UN Charter and international law. Bulgaria supports the inclusion of strong security guarantees for Ukraine in a future peace agreement.

The meeting further discussed the situation in the Middle East and the transition to the second phase of the agreement between Israel and Hamas, as well as the Arab reconstruction plan for Gaza.  Minister Georgiev stressed in his speech on the subject the need to provide humanitarian aid to the population in Gaza, as well as to guarantee Israel's security.

The EU foreign ministers also discussed the situation in Syria following the recent waves of violence in parts of the country. Minister Georg Georgiev expressed serious concern about the growing security risks in the country. He stressed the need to protect civilians and to conduct a swift, transparent and impartial investigation into the recent violence.  "The main objective must be to create a stable and inclusive Syrian-led political transition under the auspices of the UN," the first Bulgarian diplomat said.

The Council discussed EU relations with Iran. The discussion focused on sanctions, EU citizens detained in the country for various reasons, Iran's military support to Russia, the nuclear dossier and the overall regional situation.

The first European diplomats exchanged views on EU-US relations. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister stressed the importance of strong transatlantic relations, which benefit both the EU and the US. He referred to the need to maintain a unified and coordinated EU policy towards the US. Minister Georgiev welcomed the commitment of the US presidential administration to accelerate the end of the war in Ukraine and promote global peace and security.