At the very start of the meeting, the French Foreign Minister gave a speech on national security measures to ensure security after the Paris attacks.
The Baltic-Benelux meeting, which was held on the eve of the Council, focused on the Eastern partners. The participants of the meeting reached a consensus with regard to the need for the EU to maintain its focus on the Eastern Partnership countries. The EU will take important decisions concerning the visa-free regime and the extension of sanctions in December.
"We must maintain our focus on the Eastern Partnership, speak strongly and loudly in support of countries seeking closer integration with Europe. In case of Ukraine, we must leverage our pressure on the Government to put reforms in place and the pressure on Russia to implement the Minsk agreements for the restoration of Ukrainian control over its border and the withdrawal of all weapons, because the truce is very fragile, and the forces have resumed and on some occasions increased shell fire. In case of Moldova, we must aim to help the country to maintain its course towards Europe," said Linkevičius.
Prior to the meeting, Linkevičius and the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström initiated the EU ministerial meeting with the Georgian Foreign Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili. During the breakfast of the Friends of Georgia, Lithuania and other EU member states expressed their political support for Georgia, which remained the leader among the Eastern Partnership countries.
"We believe that Georgia has deserved a visa-free regime thanks to the implementation of complex reforms. We also hope that the Commission's report will welcome the country's progress and the EU's decision will be positive, so Georgia shall receive the long-awaited news," said Linkevičius.
