1.Mr Chair, thank you again for finding a way to for us last week to address the important politico-military matters we face today, in particular those originating from the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine. We also reiterate our full support for your Chairpersonship.
2.Due to the obstruction by the Russian Federation at the FSC 1077 meeting last week we were not able to formally deliver the EU statement. A statement on behalf of 39 participating States – the 27 EU Member States and 12 participating States which have aligned with the EU Statement. A statement which we could not deliver due to a so-called ‘lack of consensus’ cited by one participating State, the Russian Federation. We note that this statement on behalf of 39 participating States that could not be presented at the FSC 1077, was hardly longer than the statement made by the Russian Federation last week when they tried to justify their blocking attitude during that same FSC 1077. An FSC meeting during which the Russian Federation was in fact the only participating State which was able to make a statement it wished to deliver, without anyone interrupting it and with all of us listening to it here in the Neuer Saal. It is of utmost importance for us to maintain our discussions and to allow all delegates here to speak, not just one.

Thank you.
The Candidate Countries NORTH MACEDONIA*, MONTENEGRO*, ALBANIA*, UKRAINE, the REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA, BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA*, and GEORGIA, the EFTA countries ICELAND, LIECHTENSTEIN and NORWAY, members of the European Economic Area, as well as ANDORRA and SAN MARINO align themselves with this statement.
*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina continueto be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.