Luxembourg โPresidency Prioritizes Support for Ukraine and Democratic Renewal in Europe
In a recent address to the Parliamentary Assembly,โ Luxembourgโs minister ofโฃ Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, outlined the โkey priorities of the Luxembourg presidency of the Committeeโ of Ministers. Central โขto his message was Luxembourgโs unwavering commitment to supporting โ Ukraine amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia.Bettel highlighted the progress made in establishing mechanisms to address the โขaftermath of the war, includingโ the Register of Damage for Ukraine and the โฃcreation of a claims commission.He also emphasized the importance of ongoing discussions to establish a special tribunal โฃtoโฃ prosecute Russiaโs crime of aggression against ukraine. โIt is essential to hold โthose responsible for the crimes perpetrated in Ukraine to account,โ Bettel stated, underscoring the needโข for justice and accountability. โ
Beyond ukraine, the Minister expressed concern over the recent violence against peacefulโ protestersโข in Georgia. He called for strong condemnation of such acts andโ reiterated the Council of Europeโs role in helping Georgia fulfill its obligations as a member state.โHuman rights must be respected, and democratic institutions must be protected,โ he asserted.
In the realm of international cooperation, Bettel welcomed the adoptionโข of โคa โขโฌ30 million action plan for the Republic of Moldova (2025-2028) and โคtheโ resumption of activities โunder the action plan for Azerbaijan.โ These initiatives reflect โคthe Council of Europeโs broader mission toโ foster dialog and collaboration among memberโข states.โค
โThe Councilโค of Europe must continue to be a platform for dialogue,โ Bettel remarked. However, he stressed that all states must uphold their international obligations, including the execution of judgments from the European Court of Human Rights.
Lookingโค ahead,the Minister praised โฃ Secretaryโฃ General Alain Bersetโs initiative to launch discussions on a future action plan โaimed at revitalizing democracy in Europe.This effort aligns โฃwith โthe commitments made atโค theโ Reykjavik Summit in May โ2023, which Bettel described as a cornerstone for the institutionโs future.
The upcoming meeting of Ministers ofโข Foreign Affairs, scheduled for may 13-14,โค 2025, inโ luxembourg, will serve as a critical prospect to assess progress in implementing โthe decisions takenโค at Reykjavik. Bettel expressed โฃconfidence in the determination ofโฃ member states to provideโค the necessary resources โto โขachieve these goals.
Key Highlights of Luxembourgโs โขPresidency Priorities
| โ Priority โ | Details โค โ โฃ โ โฃ โ โค โ โ โค |
|———————————-|—————————————————————————–| โ
| Support for ukraine โฃ โ โฃ โฃ | Establishment of the Register of Damage,claims commission,and specialโ tribunal โข|
| โขHuman Rights inโข Georgia โ | Condemnation of violence against protesters,supportโค for democratic institutions | โ
| cooperation with Moldova โข | โฌ30 million action plan for 2025-2028 โ โค โ โข โโข โ |
| Revitalizing Democracy โฃ | Discussions on a โfutureโค action โขplan led by Secretary General Alain Berset |
| Reykjavik Summit commitments โ | Review of progress at โthe 2025 Foreign Ministersโ meeting in Luxembourgโข โข |
As Luxembourg takes the helm of the Committee of Ministers,its focus on justice,human rights,and democratic renewal underscores its โคcommitment to fostering a more stable โand equitable Europe. The upcoming initiatives and meetings will be pivotal in shaping the continentโs future.For moreโค insights into the Council of Europeโs initiatives, explore their officialโ website here. Stayโ updated on the latest developments in European diplomacy by following the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.