Foreign Affairs Council: press remarks by High Representative Kaja Kallas upon arrival

Check against delivery!  Good morning, everybody. We have a very extensive Foreign Affairs Council today. We already had a breakfast discussing Iran, but of course, we will discuss this further. So, Ministers are very much focused on the diplomatic solution. Also, the concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge, especially the closing of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is something that it would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody. Of course, we are discussing the Middle East in a broader sense – also Gaza and Article Two of the Association Agreement with Israel. We have done the review, the review is ready. All the Member States have it, and we will discuss it further what to read out of this, and what will we do with this.  But already at 9:30 we have Minister Sybiha here, we are discussing Ukraine. Of course, while all eyes are on what is happening in Iran and in Middle East, there are people dying in Kyiv, because Russia is keeping the bombs and bombing Ukraine every single day.  We have to keep up the pressure on Russia. That is why we are pushing for the 18 th package of sanctions. Also, we have to give the military support to Ukraine. I am happy to tell you that 80% of the ammunition initiative has already been pledged, but of course we have to do more to have for this year the 2 million rounds initiative fulfilled. And then we will also have a discussion on China. So, it will be a first discussion focused on the security issues – ministers-only...