Signing ceremony of the Framework Participation Agreement (FPA) to EU missions and operations: Press statements by High Representative Kaja Kallas

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Dear Councillor Cassis, dear Ignazio. It is a pleasure to be here in Zurich, especially during the week that marks real progress in EU- Swiss cooperation. On Monday, like you mentioned, EU and Switzerland signed a series of new agreements covering trade, health, research and transport, and just now, we signed the Joint Declaration and the Framework Agreement, and this evening, we will hold a first political dialogue to really discuss about issues that are a lot in the world is going on. So, it is fair to say that in one week, we delivered more progress in our partnership that we have seen over many years.

EU and Switzerland are long standing partners. Your contributions to EU operations in the Western Balkans and Africa are immensely important. Switzerland's decision to deploy more troops to EU's peace mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrates your commitment to regional stability. Closer to home, our cooperation on military mobility, cyber defence is moving forward. I also see potential for us to do more together countering hybrid attacks. Those who want to harm our democracies are not standing still. Neutrality is no obstacle to closer cooperation.

That is also why the Swiss Parliament's decision to ease arms export rules is a step in the right direction. This will support both Swiss industry and European security and for EU it is important that Swiss experts can also reach all Member States. Today, we also will discuss the war that is going on in Ukraine, but also what is going on in the Middle East. Now, I want to thank Switzerland for standing with Ukraine, for providing crucial humanitarian and development aid, as well as energy support, and you are saving lives by this.

We all want this war to end as fast as possible, and Geneva is an important venue for peace talks, but the dark reality is that Russia does not want peace. Moscow has answered every diplomatic push with missiles. That is why it is also important to support Ukraine and also pressure Russia. We must move forward with the €90 billion loan to Ukraine and also with our next sanctions package. And sanctions weaken Russia's ability to finance this war. And I also thank Switzerland for aligning with us.

Finally, on the Middle East. Iran is an exporter of war, and right now, the regime tries to seek and drag as many countries into this war as possible. But Iran is fighting alone, and its military capabilities are not indefinite.

No one knows what the future holds for Iran. Usually, regimes crumble from the inside, not the outside. Tehran has been considerably weakened, and there is a chance for the Iranian people to determine their own future. On the diplomatic track, European Union and Gulf Foreign Ministers met today to discuss what we can do together to break the cycle of escalation and also boost regional defences. And these discussions will, of course, continue.

Thank you very much.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/media/video/I-286174