The President of the Republic Mr. Nikos Anastasiadis participated in the afternoon in a teleconference convened by the President of the European Council Mr. Charles Michel, in view of the Special Session of the Brussels European Council of 30 and 31 May.
In addition to President Anastasiadis, the meeting was also attended by the Prime Minister of Sweden Mrs. Magdalena Anderson, the Chancellor of Austria Mr. Karl Nehamer and the Prime Minister of Croatia Mr. Andrej Plenkovi..
The consultations focused on the situation in Ukraine, in the light of the escalation of the war in the country, as well as the emerging financial needs, both to address the unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has arisen and a number of other needs related to public sector payroll, the daily life of the citizens and in general the effort to start the reconstruction of the country as soon as the conditions allow.
In this context, the President of the Republic stressed, among other things, the need to intensify the diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire and ensure peace and security in Ukraine and the wider region.
Although the issue of the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which is still under discussion, is not expected to be on the agenda at next week's summit, President Anastasiadis reiterated the importance of maintaining EU unity and resolutely and unwaveringly supporting all appropriate measures. pressure and assist in ending the war. At the same time, he reiterated the need for the various sanctions proposals to be well-designed and targeted, with the aim of having the desired effect and not of having a greater economic impact on the EU Member States than on Russia itself.
In relation to Energy & # 8211; and as next week's leaders' discussion will be based on the REPowerEU project presented by the European Commission & # 8211; The President briefed his counterparts on the solutions that Cyprus can provide to the European Union's goal of energy independence and diversification of its energy supply, including through electricity interconnections, gas transportation, including liquefied natural gas, and electricity storage. He added that the Government welcomes other measures aimed at accelerating the green transition through greater penetration of renewable energy sources.
In the field of defense, the teleconference focused on the competitiveness of the European defense industry, but also on the possibilities of cooperation between the Member States in the field of defense investment and the supply of armaments systems.
O The President of the Republic reiterated Cyprus' support for steps that will strengthen the EU's strategic autonomy in the field of Defense and Security, as well as its ability to intervene in cases of crisis management, either independently or in cooperation with its allies and partners. The teleconference concluded with an exchange of views on the state of food security, both in the EU and around the world, in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
During the In his speech, President Anastasiadis referred to the importance of actions to enhance food security, as well as to support the agricultural sector and consumers. He also expressed concern about the problems that may arise, not only in Africa, but also in Middle Eastern countries, which, if left unchecked, could create conditions conducive to destabilizing trends. >
