President Rinkēvičs expressed at the informal meeting the view that the EU should have a long-term strategy in support of Ukraine. "This is a question of the credibility of the European Union, which stands for the rule of law, freedom and democracy. That is why we must support the European Peace Facility, the Ukraine Facility and progress on the legal framework for the use of the profits from Russia's frozen assets. Now, equally important is the effective implementation of the European Union's sanctions against Russia, including the prevention of their circumvention," emphasised E. Rinkēvičs.
The meeting discussed the EU's defence and military industrial capacity. President Rinkēvičs pointed out that the war in Ukraine highlights the growing need for the EU to play a greater role in security and to improve its military capabilities. "Although Europe has taken a big step by adopting the EU Act in support for munitions production, further steps are needed. Latvia is interested in faster and more efficient ways to increase industrial capacity," the President stressed.
The issue of EU enlargement policy was also discussed. President Rinkēvičs expressed his conviction that the EU enlargement process should be based on certain criteria and the commitment of the candidate countries to EU values: "Despite the war in Ukraine and the challenges faced by Moldova, both countries have shown significant progress in their reform process. This is why the European Council in December this year should decide on the opening of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova."
