Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Informal Ministerial Meeting: Remarks by High Representative/Vice President Kaja Kallas during the press conference

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Thank you, Radek for hosting us here in Poland. Really good discussions we had, very open and, of course, really shaped by the developments this week. The war in the Middle East is rapidly widening. Tehran's strategy is to sow chaos and set the region on fire by indiscriminately attacking its neighbours. The regime is making a strong case for its own demise. Of course, the dream scenario would be a democratic Iran that poses no threat to its neighbours. But of course, this outcome is far from certain. Right now, no one can predict which direction this war will take.

For Europe, it is a dangerous moment. The safety of hundreds and thousands of our citizens in the region is at stake. The EU is coordinating consular assistance and funding repatriation flights for people stranded in the region, and our naval missions help protect international shipping. Tomorrow, we have a meeting together with the EU foreign ministers and the ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council together to discuss the way forward.

As the world focuses on the war in the Middle East, we cannot let Ukraine slip off the agenda. Moscow may have lost another ally in Tehran, but the same drones that are hitting Dubai are also hitting Kyiv.

There are no signs that Russia's war is slowing. Moscow's maximalist demands remain unchanged. Europe has a clear and legitimate interest in how this war should end. If we do not articulate ourselves, no one will do it for us, and if we wait too long, it might be too late.

Respect for borders and an end to sabotage, compensation for war damages and the return of kidnapped Ukraine children are not just farfetched demands. They should be the baseline. Russia's maximalist demands cannot be met with minimalist response.

At the same time, we must continue to support Ukraine. We agreed to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan, and this we also must deliver. A broken pipeline should not hold Ukraine's defence hostage.

Likewise, the next sanctions package must follow as soon as possible. A full maritime services ban on Russia's oil exports would go a long way to decimate Moscow's war funds, and it is extremely important at this moment when the oil prices are rising.

Work also continues on the EU's contribution to security guarantees, including through our missions, support to Ukraine's defence industry, and with ceasefire monitoring. Ministers make clear that Ukraine's accession is a geostrategic goal and the strongest security guarantee that the EU can offer.

And finally, we also discussed the upcoming NATO Summit. If the last months are of any indicator, the time until the summit will remain unpredictable. The Middle East war shows that Europe must invest in defence capabilities and boost defence production. For example, air defences are in short supply across the West, and this war will stretch them even further. The case is very clear. The money is there, so industry also needs to step up production. A stronger Europe makes also a stronger transatlantic alliance.

Link to the video: https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/events/20260304-eu-hr-kallas-council-of-baltic-sea-states-informal-ministerial-meeting/152897-3-press-conference-q-a-20260304