Mme Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, is taking part today in the European Union's Foreign Affairs Council.
Ahead of the European Council of 23 and 24 March, and building on the French President's visit to Romania, Moldova and Ukraine last week, the Minister will recall that France is in favour of immediately granting candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, accompanied by a road map. She will signal the importance of continuing support for Ukraine on every level ? humanitarian, economic, political and military ? by continuing, in particular, the delivery of military equipment, and of fully implementing the sanctions adopted by the European Union.
Faced with the tragic consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on food security, especially in Africa and the Middle East, the Minister will emphasize the need to put the FARM initiative into practice, in line with other initiatives on the issue. In the face of disinformation and untruths, the Minister will stress that food insecurity is a direct consequence of the war unleashed by Moscow, the blockade and Russia's destruction of Ukraine's cereal infrastructure.
The ministers will have a conversation with Mr Sameh Choukry, Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister. Mme Colonna will emphasize the importance of the partnership between the European Union and Egypt, in particular in terms of energy and food in the context of the war in Ukraine. With her counterpart, she will discuss several regional issues of shared interest.
The ministers will reaffirm the importance of strengthening the European Union's re-engagement in the Gulf region amid attempts at destabilization there and in the Horn of Africa region, especially in Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan.
Finally, following the Council, Mme Colonna will chair the 19th meeting of the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council, as part of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union; it will be an opportunity to discuss with that country the strengthening of our partnership and the consequences of Russia's aggression in Ukraine, and in particular the importance of implementing European and international sanctions.