EU Council President Costa: We must be able to convey our messages directly to Russia

European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Nikos Christodoulides, leader of the Republic of Cyprus, which holds the rotating EU presidency, held a joint press conference following the EU Leaders' Summit held in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.

Speaking first at the press conference, European Council President Costa said that the opening of the first clusters of accession negotiations for Ukraine and Moldova to the EU this week was a historic development.

"We must not forget the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the deteriorating conditions in the West Bank"

Stating that the topics evaluated at today's meeting included developments in Ukraine and the Middle East, including Iran, Costa said, "The signing of the first agreement between Washington and Tehran represents significant progress. This agreement should lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. We hope this paves the way for lasting peace, regional stability, and full and effective respect for Lebanon's sovereignty. We must not forget the dramatic humanitarian situation in Gaza and the deteriorating conditions in the West Bank," he said.

"We need to be able to convey our own messages directly to Russia"

In response to a question about the EU establishing direct communication with Russia, European Council President Costa said, "First of all, the European Union is not a mediator and has no intention of being a mediator. The European Union stands with Ukraine. We have stood with Ukraine throughout the war. We will stand with Ukraine after the war as well."

Emphasizing that there is currently no sign that Russia wants to negotiate seriously, Costa said, "We are establishing a diplomatic channel with Russia through my office. Because we cannot remain dependent on others to interpret Russia's messages. And we need to be able to convey our own messages directly to Russia."

Costa stated, "Only Ukraine can negotiate on behalf of Ukraine. Of course, the Coalition of Volunteers and its leaders will also have a role regarding security guarantees."

In response to a question about why the attempt to contact the Kremlin is being made now, Costa said, "We need to have a direct diplomatic channel with Russia because we also need to support Ukraine through diplomatic means. Unfortunately, the time for negotiation has not yet come. But in any case, we need to establish this direct contact immediately."

Costa added, "Because we need to listen to them. We need to convey our own messages to them. When all leaders say again and again that the European Union must be at the future negotiating table, of course, we must start talking to establish direct contact with Russia."

Costa also said that only Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have the legitimacy to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.

Von der Leyen announced that sanctions against Russia have been extended for 12 months

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also described the opening of the first negotiation cluster with Ukraine as a turning point, saying, "Our goal now is to open more clusters before the summer ends."

Von der Leyen said, "We have also reached an agreement on the extension of sanctions against Russia. What is important is that this time the duration is not 6 months, but 12 months. This sends a very strong message. We are also continuing our work to complete the 21st sanctions package."

Stated that the agreement between the US and Iran is an "important opportunity"

Touching upon the agreement between the US and Iran, Von der Leyen said, "This agreement is an important opportunity to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, to ensure that no fees are charged for passage, to guarantee that Iran will never possess nuclear weapons, to address concerns regarding ballistic programs and regional activities, and ultimately to advance peace and security throughout the region."

Call on Israel to respect Lebanon's territorial integrity

Von der Leyen stated, "Finally, what is happening in Lebanon is extremely worrying. A stable and peaceful Middle East also requires a stable and sovereign Lebanon. We support the efforts of the Lebanese government to ensure the disarmament of Hezbollah. At the same time, it is important that Israel respects both the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon."

In his speech, Christodoulides provided an assessment regarding the steps taken by the EU and the progress achieved during the Republic of Cyprus presidency.

News Source: 12punto