HR/VP Blog - For almost two years, the Tigray region in Ethiopia has been in the grip of an atrocious war with hunger and sexual violence used as weapons as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have documented repeatedly. It is time to put an end to this bloodshed that affects the entire Horn of Africa region. The EU appeals to all parties to finally engage in dialogue and compromise.

HR/VP Blog - Two years after the stolen presidential election and the following brutal repression of opponents, I want to assure the people of Belarus that we will never stop to denounce the oppression in this country. We will stand with the people of Belarus as long as it takes to secure our common future in a safe, sovereign, democratic and prosperous Europe.

HR/VP Blog - Last week, I attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Post-Ministerial-Conference (PMC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) annual Ministerial Meetings in Phnom Penh. I was reminded then of one key element in the current international tensions: the Asia-Pacific region is with no doubt becoming the centre of gravity of the world.

HR/VP Blog - Europe is facing a perfect storm: energy prices are up, economic growth is down and winter is coming. The Kremlin is using energy as a political weapon. We must prepare ourselves for a possible gas cut-off, principally through savings, diversification and solidarity among us. At the same time, we must accelerate investments in renewables and wage a global campaign for energy efficiency and savings to ensure sustainable energy access to all while staying within planetary boundaries.

HR/VP Blog - After 15 months of intense, constructive negotiations and countless interactions with the JCPOA participants and the US, the space for additional significant compromises to reach an agreement has been exhausted. Decisions need to be taken now to seize the unique opportunity to succeed, and to free up the great potential of a fully implemented nuclear deal. A restored agreement will strengthen regional and global security and show that balanced international accords are possible in turbulent times.

HR/VP Blog - Many ask whether the sanctions against Russia are effective. I would like to explain in this blog post why the clear answer is yes. Already the sanctions that the EU and like-minded partners have adopted are hitting Vladimir Putin and his accomplices hard - and their effects on the Russian economy will increase further. We need strategic patience until Russia stops its aggression and Ukraine can recover its sovereignty in full.

HR/VP Blog - Russia’s war against Ukraine is radically changing the geopolitical landscape and endangering our security. In this new environment, the EU’s security and defence agenda has never been as relevant as today. We need member states to fulfil all their responsibilities within both the EU and NATO.

HR/VP Blog – Last week, the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Bali has highlighted the different perspectives around the world when it comes to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its consequences. We need to continue our efforts to convince our partners, while equally being sensitive to their needs.

HR/VP Blog - EU enlargement is back high on the agenda and rightly so. Last week, the European Council decided that the future of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia lies in the EU. The countries of the Western Balkans are already on that path and the EU has also reiterated its commitment towards them. As we revitalise EU enlargement, we must make a similar effort to reform the EU and our decision-making. Because an enlarged EU must also be able to act. This also means reducing the scope of the unanimity rule in foreign policy and other areas, to take more decisions by qualified majority vote.

HR/VP Blog - This week’s Foreign Affairs Council discussed the geopolitical consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We agreed on our main work strands to face the global food and energy crisis and defend the rules-based international order. While continuing to support Ukraine, we have to engage further with third countries affected by Russia’s war.

HR/VP Blog - One and a half years after the start of COVID-19 vaccines rollout, the EU can be proud of what it has achieved to help vaccinate the world, and in particular low- and middle-income countries. The EU’s record stands in contrast to what China and Russia did beyond the bluster of their noisy "vaccine diplomacy”.

HR/VP Blog - Russia’s war against Ukraine threatens to create a global wave of hunger. We must urgently enable Ukraine to export its grains through the Black Sea. We also see a “battle of narratives” around Russian grains and fertilizer exports. While our sanctions do not target these exports, we are ready to work with the UN and our partners to prevent any unwanted impact on global food security.

HR/VP Blog - Last week I was in Jordan to hold the 14th Association Council with the EU, the first time we did so in a partner country. Jordan plays a key role in a critical region in a period marked by increasing geopolitical tensions and socioeconomic difficulties due to the Russian war against Ukraine. We were pleased to strengthen our ties with such an essential partner.

HR/VP Blog - The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been a wake-up call for EU security and defence. This week’s Joint Communication on Defence Investment Gaps explains clearly that, due to underinvestment, the defence capabilities we have do not match the ones we need for the threats we face. The reports of the European Defence Agency (EDA) already warned about this, but before the war started, there was no commons sense of urgency to increase defence spending. Now the issue is not only to spend more, but to spend together – because this is the only way of spending better.

HR/VP Blog - We face a major geopolitical crisis with the war against Ukraine and at the same time a major ecological and security threat with climate change. REPowerEU is the integrated response to this double challenge. The Commission and I tabled this week specific concrete proposals in many domains including a more ambitious and targeted EU energy diplomacy.

HR/VP Blog - Last weekend I attended in Germany the G7 meeting of ministers of foreign affairs. One of our main topics was the massive negative impact on the world economy of the war on Ukraine with significant risks of destabilization in many regions and countries. It could also weaken international support to condemn Russian aggression as our video conference with the Indonesian foreign affairs minister confirmed. Europeans need to be fully aware of those risks and act to limit them globally.

HR/VP Blog - After Chile, I visited Panama last week to attend the first ever joint SICA - CARICOM meeting with the EU. Both organizations bring together 21 member countries in Central America and the Caribbean. The message from the region was loud and clear: the EU needs to be more present.

HR/VP Blog - Last week, I travelled to Chile, making my second visit to Latin America during my mandate. Chile is an important partner of the EU and we are about to finalise the modernisation of our 2002 Association Agreement, the oldest one in the region.

HR/VP Blog - Two months into the war against Ukraine there is no end in sight and Russia’s most recent actions even point to an intensification of the fight. The Russian leadership must stop the aggression and reconsider the unacceptable path it has chosen: for the sake of Ukraine, Russia, Europe and the wider world.

HR/VP Blog - My just published book "Staying on course in troubled waters" brings together blog posts, speeches and articles on key global developments in 2021. It highlights what has been achieved and what remains to be done for EU to speak the “language of power”. A task that is more urgent than ever in the context of the war against Ukraine.

HR/VP Blog - The brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine has provoked massive hikes in food prices and created the risk of food shortages. We must act now to protect the people affected. Last month, the Commission launched a plan to fight food insecurity and has already started its implementation. We took stock of the situation at the last College of Commissioners.

HR/VP Blog - Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine requires everyone to take a stand. At last week’s EU-China Summit, we discussed what is at stake and our expectations on China to be part of the solution. The divide in how we see this conflict and the wider world is real, so expectations need to be modest. Principled diplomacy, based on EU unity and strength, remains the best way to shape China’s choices.

HR/VP Blog - Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has wide-reaching ramifications beyond Europe. Last weekend I was in Qatar and Kuwait, for bilateral visits, to speak at the Doha Forum and meet a range of international interlocutors. The war and its consequences were on everybody’s mind. To tackle its fall-outs, we need to strengthen our cooperation with the Gulf countries.

HR/VP Blog - The war against Ukraine proves that Europe is even more in danger than we thought just a few months ago. With the Strategic Compass, agreed now by all member states, we have a plan to go for a real step change in EU security and defence. The task now is to implement it quickly and fully.

HR/VP Blog - This week, I visited North Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their leaders were clear in condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the three countries have joined our sanctions against Russia. We are united in our efforts to stop the war and help the Ukrainian people. I underlined firmly the EU’s commitment to support the Western Balkans even more and to take forward the region’s future in the European Union.

HR/VP Blog - Putin’s war against Ukraine has already caused thousands of death but also major economic damages globally. We need to handle the impact of this third asymmetric shock in 15 years, at home and abroad. EU leaders agreed at the informal summit in Versailles to bolster European economic resilience, radically reduce our energy imports from Russia and move ahead with a serious strengthening of European defence.

HR/VP Blog - Last Tuesday we had an important debate in the European Parliament about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the European response. At this occasion, I set out the provisional lessons that we can draw from the tragic events we are living for EU foreign policy and the security of our continent.

HR/VP Blog - Ukraine is fighting off the Russian invasion. As EU, we are mobilising all tools to preserve a free, democratic and sovereign Ukraine. We have adopted unprecedented sanctions; we are blocking the Kremlin-linked disinformation machine and, for the first time ever, we will supply Ukraine with lethal weapons. We have probably advanced more in building a geopolitical Europe in one week than we did in several years

HR/VP Blog - During the Munich Security Conference (MSC), last weekend, I explained why we must uphold the international order, based on international law and universal rights and values against a strong revisionist campaign by Russia and China. I also discussed Ukraine, Iran, and the western Balkans with international partners.

HR/VP Blog - The current geopolitical context shows how important it is to strengthen EU’s defence policy. More generally, what we classically understand by “defence” is evolving to encompass more and more other domains, such as cyber and outer space. Last week, the European Commission adopted two important “packages” on defence and space policies. They contribute to the on-going work on the Strategic Compass.

HR/VP Blog - Energy has always been among the most important geopolitical issues. With high prices and gas supplies challenges caused by the crisis with Russia, it is at the top of our agenda. We need to address short-term pressures while sticking to our long-term goal of the net-zero transition. The EU-US Energy Council in Washington DC will boost transatlantic cooperation on this front.

HR/VP Blog - All of last week, our work on the European security situation and Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine continued, with EU Foreign Ministers meeting and the US and NATO sending their written responses to Russia’s “draft treaties”. We will stick to our twin tracks of diplomacy and deterrence and expand our support to Ukraine.

HR/VP Blog - Russia is threatening Ukraine and putting into question Europe’s security architecture. This week in Brest, EU Foreign and Defence Ministers are meeting: we should be united, clear about what we want and, above all, what we intend to do.

HR/VP Blog - On the very first days of the new year, I visited Ukraine to underline the EU’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at a moment when the country is faced with Russia’s military build-up and when Russia is questioning the basic tenets of Europe’s security. The EU will continue to be involved in any discussions that affect our security and nothing could be decided about us, without us.

HR/VP Blog - The crises in and around Ukraine and Belarus are at the top of the international agenda. They are good examples of a new paradigm, in which hybrid threats and power politics are destabilising our neighbourhood and beyond. We must continue to be firm and united in our response and strengthen our own security and defence policy. At stake are the principles underpinning the European security order.

HR/VP Blog - Last Tuesday, I opened the Europe Defence Agency’s Annual Conference, dedicated this year to defence innovation. This conference came at a crucial time for the future of our common European security and defence policy. In that field, our choice is a simple one: either defence innovation or defence irrelevance!

HR/VP Blog - For many Europeans, the Mediterranean and the Southern Neighbourhood are mainly about conflicts and migration. But our relations are and must be about so much more. How to make the Mediterranean a place for shared progress was the key question of the Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean and the EU-Southern Neighbourhood Ministerial Meeting that just took place in Barcelona.

HR/VP Blog - For years, Venezuela has been gripped by a political stalemate leading to a severe humanitarian crisis. Last Tuesday, our EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) made public its first findings on the country’s regional and municipal elections held on 21 November. To send this mission was a controversial decision, however I am convinced that it will contribute to help find a solution to the Venezuelan crisis through political dialogue.

HR/VP Blog - Central Asia plays a crucial role connecting East and West. This week I paid a three-day visit to Tajikistan to see how the EU can strengthen its cooperation with the region, from the post-pandemic recovery, to the water and security nexus and the regional fall out of the crisis in Afghanistan. It is only through sustained engagement that we can achieve sustainable results.

HR/VP Blog - Last Thursday, we paid tribute to the military and civilian personnel who lost their lives while serving in EU crisis management missions and operations. This moving ceremony coincided with the 20th anniversary of the EU Military Staff, and also provided a good opportunity to look forward when it comes to European security and defence.

HR/VP Blog - On 15 November, I presented the Strategic Compass to EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence. The initial exchanges showed widespread support for its central diagnosis – namely that Europe is in danger – and for the range of proposals on how to strengthen the EU’s role as a security provider. In the coming months, we will continue working with member states to agree the precise way forward. I will keep pushing for an ambitious and realistic approach, as our citizens expect.

HR/VP Blog - After Peru, I went last week to Brazil, one of the main actors in Latin America. The discussion with Brazilian leaders was principally focused on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement and on environmental protection measures. Brazil's recent new commitments, particularly on deforestation, are welcome but need a swift implementation on the ground.

HR/VP Blog - I have just returned from my first trip to Latin America since the beginning of my mandate. I first visited Peru, the country with the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world. The country is also struggling with a highly polarised political landscape. Peru illustrates the colossal challenges that Latin America is facing after the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the high expectations the region has towards the EU.

HR/VP Blog - The COP26 United Nations climate summit is opening in Glasgow. Climate change and the necessary acceleration of the green transition have major geopolitical dimensions. The fight against climate change is a global imperative: despite tensions among world powers, we need to rally the whole world to act now

HR/VP Blog - I am just back from Rwanda, where I paid a bilateral visit and co-chaired the EU-African Union Ministerial meeting. Visiting the Genocide Memorial and meeting both survivors and perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, I witnessed one of the most dismaying and moving human experiences of my life.

HR/VP Blog - On Tuesday, October 26th, the foreign ministers of the African Union and the European Union will meet in Kigali, Rwanda to prepare for the summit of heads of state and government of two continents, which will be held in early 2022. My objective is clear: to make our partnership take an unprecedented qualitative leap. My visit will also further strengthen the good relations between the European Union and Rwanda.

HR/VP Blog - During my visit to Washington D.C, we cleared the air on the transatlantic agenda and focused on pressing international challenges. A better balanced EU-US cooperation will remain key for international peace, security and prosperity because our values and interests are largely convergent.

HR/VP Blog - The “Conference on the Future of Europe” was launched in Spring this year to open a new debate with citizens to address Europe's challenges and priorities. Listening to citizens and giving them a say is also highly relevant when it comes to foreign and security policy. Citizens are expecting more from us, so we should heed their call for action and results.

HR/VP Blog - The EU is facing exceptionally high energy prices and the European Commission has issued yesterday a Joint Communication on this. This crisis is due to a variety of reasons, but all pointing to the need to accelerate the implementation of the European Green Deal. In the short and medium term, we also need to improve our energy security to ensure affordable energy to protect our economy and the green transition. Both issues are key for EU foreign and security policy and our standing in the world.

HR/VP Blog – Major geopolitical shifts are taking place, which put into question Europe’s ability to defend its vision and interests. European leaders discussed last Tuesday how we should respond. To move forward, we must focus on action and not get stuck in abstract and divisive debates. The Strategic Compass that we are preparing and will present in November will set out a set of concrete steps in the area of security and defence.

HR/VP Blog – Afghanistan is experiencing a serious humanitarian crisis and a socio-economic collapse is looming, which would be dangerous for Afghans, the region and international security. Qatar is an influential actor when it comes to Afghanistan, with open contacts with the Taliban. While in Doha, I discussed how to assess the Taliban’s actions and avoid a collapse of Afghanistan.

HR/VP Blog – Today, I started a four-day trip to the Gulf region to visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. It is a dynamic region in the middle of a significant transformation. This gives us a chance to develop new forms of cooperation.

HR/VP Blog – We have just finished an intensive week of diplomatic engagement in New York centred around the annual General Assembly of the United Nations. In my many bilateral meetings, my main priorities have been EU-US relations, the Iran nuclear deal and Afghanistan. In each case, we need to speak with a clear EU voice.

HR/VP Blog - This is the week of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. It is an opportunity to recall once again the EU’s commitment to multilateralism. I have a very crowded agenda, including an informal EU Foreign Ministers meeting and many bilateral meetings, notably on Afghanistan. Central will also be the global recovery and how to close the vaccination gap.

HR/VP Blog - Last week, I visited Libya at a critical moment. The coming weeks will determine whether the hope generated lately will be consolidated or if vested interests will maintain the country in a situation of uncertainty, with a serious danger of a return to armed violence. We are ready to do our part to avoid it.

HR/VP Blog – Earlier this week, I travelled to Iraq for the first time as HR/VP to support the country’s stability and sovereignty. The visit came ahead of the elections next month for which the EU is deploying an observation mission. As EU, we have a big stake in helping to build a stable Iraq and during my visit to Baghdad and Erbil, I emphasised the EU’s commitment and support for the ambitious reforms demanded by the Iraqi people.

HR/VP Blog – At the end of last week, we had two informal meetings in Slovenia, one with EU Defence Ministers and another with Foreign Ministers. Naturally, Afghanistan was at the top of our agenda, but we also discussed EU relations with China and the Indo-Pacific.

HR/VP Blog - Seven years after my first visit, I came back last 29 August to the beautiful island of Ventotene in the Gulf of Naples, on the 80th anniversary of the appeal “For a Free and United Europe”. The spirit of the Ventotene Manifesto has not lost its validity, on the contrary.

HR/VP Blog - Extreme weather events in Europe and around the globe and the recently published IPCC report underline how much climate change threatens humankind. With its new climate law and the “Fit for 55” package proposed by the Commission, the EU is ready to assume its responsibilities ahead of COP26 in Glasgow.

HR/VP Blog - A year ago, a huge explosion shook Beirut. Since then, the Lebanese crisis has worsened and the political class has been unable to tackle it. I was attending yesterday, together with EU Council President Charles Michel, a third international conference to take stock of the situation and look for additional support for Lebanon.The EU is already helping the Lebanese population, and stands ready to help more if the necessary steps are taken by the Lebanese leadership. At the same time, the EU has adopted a new framework for restrictive measures against those who prevent solving this crisis.

HR/VP Blog – Last week, I directed a seminar in the city of Santander in Spain about how to build a geopolitical Europe. We engaged together with policy makers, think tankers and academics on the most pressing global issues and the challenges they cause to the European Union.

HR/VP Blog – Last week, I visited Tashkent to take part in the Central-South Asia Connectivity Conference. This event brought together high-level participants from the region and beyond to discuss regional connectivity and security issues, as well as the situation in Afghanistan. The aim of the conference was to explore how joint efforts can promote stability, security and prosperity in a region of growing strategic importance for the EU.

HR/VP Blog – While vaccination rates are rising rapidly in Europe, this is not the case globally and we are seeing a more fractured world emerging. As the EU, we need to live up to our global responsibilities and to our partners’ expectations.

HR/VP Blog – In the heart of Europe 26 years ago, the darkest page of our modern history was being written. In July 1995 in the hills around Srebrenica, over 8.000 people, mainly boys and men, were deliberately killed. This weekend, 19 more victims are laid to rest at the cemetery at the Srebrenica Memorial Centre. We have to learn from what happened and need reconciliation to move forward.

HR/VP Blog – EU Foreign Ministers from Austria, Lithuania and Romania have finished a much-needed visit to the three countries of the South Caucasus. They went there on my behalf to signal EU support and engagement. With many crises demanding our attention, it is important that as EU we are present in all regions where EU interests are at stake.

HR/VP Blog - Last week, the European Council held an important discussion on EU-Russia relations. I presented the Joint Communication on EU-Russia relations that I had prepared with the European Commission. It sets out the state of our relations in all their complexity and makes the case for a principled and strategic approach to Russia, built above all around EU unity and resilience.

HR/VP Blog – As Lebanon slides further into a very serious crisis, the country urgently needs a government that will halt the spiral of collapse and initiate vital reforms. I was in Lebanon on 19 and 20 June to discuss this with the country’s leaders and public figures.

HR/VP Blog - Last Monday we asked Ricardo Hausmann, Professor at the Harvard Kennedy School, to give a presentation to several hundred EEAS staff members about the global dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic and the way out. We need indeed to draw inspiration from the most advanced thinking from academia and think tanks.

HR/VP Blog – This week, I visited Jakarta, for talks with the leaders of Indonesia and ASEAN. A main reason of this trip was to signal EU engagement with this dynamic part of the world, towards which the global centre of gravity is shifting. My discussions proved there is clear demand in the region for more EU engagement and presence: on the pandemic, for recovery, for connectivity and in the area of security.

HR/VP Blog – Yesterday, a ceasefire started between Israel and Hamas after 11 days of fighting and an unacceptable number of civilian casualties. Now we need to ensure it is implemented and then build on it to address the underlying conflict. Security alone will not provide peace. Only a negotiated, political solution will give Israelis and Palestinians security and peace.

HR/VP Blog – On Tuesday, together with Commissioner Várhelyi, I had an informal dinner with leaders of the Six Western Balkans countries. In recent months, we have seen frustration on their side towards the EU and a proliferation of nationalistic, often divisive rhetoric. At our last Foreign Affairs Council, EU Foreign Ministers agreed on the need to increase our efforts to bring the region closer to the European Union.

HR/VP Blog – Ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 May, I have sent a clear message to the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) during an important discussion with the Presidency of the country: they must stop using divisive nationalist rhetoric and instead focus on rapid progress on reforms.

HR/VP Blog – It was fitting that we discussed with EU Defence Ministers concrete ways for the EU to do more, more efficiently and faster when a crisis strikes, only a week after my visit to the Sahel, where the EU is heavily engaged to respond to one of today’s most important security and governance crises.

HR/VP Blog – This week, I spent two days in London, meeting the foreign ministers of the G7 countries and of the Indo-Pacific region. We had thorough discussions on the main geopolitical issues and agreed to act more closely together in order to build an open, democratic and sustainable post-COVID-19 world.

HR/VP Blog - On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, I want to reaffirm my commitment and that of the EU to media freedom, which has unfortunately declined in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having grown up in a dictatorship, I know how fragile and precious open access to information and freedom of speech is for democracy.

Blog du HR/VP – Je me suis rendu cette semaine en Mauritanie, au Tchad et au Mali pour rencontrer les autorités, les assurer de l’engagement sans faille de l’Europe mais aussi souligner le besoin de davantage de résultats concrets en matière de sécurité comme de retour de l’état de droit et des services publics.

HRVP Blog – Tensions are rising fast in and around Ukraine. At the Foreign Affairs Council, we have sent a clear signal of our collective support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in front of Russia’s military deployment and its continued negative actions and provocations.

HR/VP Blog – The Covid-19 crisis continues to change the global balance of power. The new IMF economic forecast shows that the recovery is underway even if uncertainties remain. However, the gap between emerging and developing countries and the advanced economies plus China is worrying. The EU is also at serious risk of falling behind the US and China if it does not develop active policies to prevent this.

HR/VP Blog – The world is horrified by the bloody military coup in Myanmar, with reports of more than 80 people killed in Bago last Friday. We are pursuing a robust diplomatic initiative in close coordination with like-minded partners. However, geopolitical competition in Myanmar makes it difficult to find common ground, to halt the violence and ensure a return to democracy.

HR/VP Blog - The humanitarian situation in the Ethiopian Tigray region remains very serious. This conflict threatens also to destabilise the whole Horn of Africa. I have asked Pekka Haavisto, Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs, to travel to Ethiopia to repeat our requests to the government and assess the situation. For the EU, helping to stop the human right abuses in the Tigray region and restore peace in Ethiopia is a high priority.

HR/VP Blog – The Syria conflict has wreaked havoc for ten years and it is still going on. That is why we must continue to mobilise international support for the Syrian people. We achieved this with the Fifth “Brussels Conference on the future of Syria and the region” this week – generating € 5,3 billion of new pledges. But we also need to renew the search for a political solution to the crisis.

HR/VP Blog – Last week, the European Council opened what should be a new chapter in EU-Turkey relations. EU leaders are ready to engage on important avenues of cooperation including the modernisation of the Customs Union, the relaunching of high-level dialogues and people-to-people contacts, plus strengthened cooperation on migration management.

HR/VP Blog – Last week the pace of international developments accelerated. All the EU’s relationships with the world’s key strategic actors have been in play, i.e. with the US, China, Russia and Turkey. But we have also seen important developments in their relationships with each other. Many events seem to indicate the often-announced confrontation between democracies and authoritarian regimes. However, even if Russia and China seem to join forces to face the “Western world”, the future geopolitical landscape of a multipolar world is not simple.

HR/VP Blog – Despite initial setbacks, the EU is working hard to accelerate the internal roll out of COVID-19 vaccines. At the same time, we are already contributing in a very significant way to the global vaccination drive via exports and the international COVAX facility.

HR/VP Blog - It has been one year since the launch of the EU’s naval Operation IRINI. On 18 and 19 March, I visited IRINI’s Headquarters in Rome, the air base Sigonella and one of our four ships currently at sea - the FGS Berlin. My visit comes at a critical juncture for Libya and the international efforts to support the search for peace: we are beginning to see a more hopeful phase.

HR/VP Blog – The year 2020 was the year of the pandemic, changing our world profoundly. This book ‘European foreign policy in times of COVID-19’ tells the story of the main events until the end of 2020. It reflects on their meaning and contributes to the debate on Europe’s changing global role. Politics is about making choices and the EU’s future is what we make of it.

HR/VP Blog – In debates on EU foreign policy, key concepts that people often refer to are multilateralism and multipolarity. When I met recently with the Inter-Parliamentary Conference this was again the case. It struck me that it might be good to specify how I see these concepts and how they relate to each other

HR/VP Blog – The shift in the world’s centre of gravity to the Indo-Pacific started years ago, but the pandemic is accelerating it. As EU, we need to look at the consequences in geo-political and geo-economic terms and define our approach to the Indo-Pacific. We have a big stake in the region and should do our part to keep the regional order open and rules-based.

HR/VP Blog – Recently, Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis presented a new trade strategy at the College of the European Commission. EU trade policy can be an important foreign policy instrument: we should leverage our trading power to promote EU interests and values and build a fairer and more sustainable form of globalisation.

HR/VP Blog – Last Friday I visited Nicosia to reiterate the EU’s strong support for the resumption of talks on a settlement of the Cyprus issue. We are at a crucial point: UN Secretary-General Guterres will convene an informal meeting in Geneva on 27-29 April in the hope of finding common ground to negotiate a lasting solution to this issue.

HR/VP Blog – The last European Council discussed the renewed partnership with our Southern Mediterranean neighbours that I proposed together with the European Commission as High Representative of the European Union. The economic, social, ecological and security challenges facing the region have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tackling these together is a key challenge for our external policy.

HR/VP Blog – EU leaders have held a timely discussion on the future of EU security and defence. We need commitment at the highest political level to make the EU a stronger security actor in a world of fast-changing threats.

HR/VP blog – The G5 Sahel summit and the Pau+1 summit, bringing together the G5 Sahel countries and their international partners, took place on 15 and 16 February. It is clear that the military victories achieved so far will have lasting effects only if the state’s sovereign functions are restored and basic state services are delivered once more.

HR/VP Blog – Why do we need to invest in multilateralism? Because it works. Today we have set out what the EU can do to strengthen and modernise the global system of rules and institutions on which we all depend.

HR/VP Blog – I went to Moscow this week to test, through principled diplomacy, whether the Russian government was interested in addressing differences and reversing the negative trend in our relations. The reaction I received points visibly in a different direction. So, as EU we will have to reflect on the broader implications and chart a way forward. We are at a crossroads. The main parameters of the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century are being drawn.

HR/VP Blog – On Monday, I spoke to the Robert Schuman Foundation about our priorities for this year: easing tensions in our neighbourhood, opening a new chapter in our relationship with the United States, rebalancing our relations with China, putting European strategic autonomy into practice and reviving multilateralism.

HR/VP Blog – The Arctic is a fascinating region and Arctic affairs are becoming ever more geopolitically important. The impact of climate change, security issues and rivalries are growing, as is the need for cooperation and multilateral agreements.

HR/VP Blog – On 1 January 2021, Brexit took full effect, with the UK becoming a ‘third country’. While the public debate has focused on the economic fallout, we also need to decide how the EU and the UK can cooperate on foreign and security policy. On 25 January, EU Foreign Ministers discussed the issue, giving their guidance, with EU unity and interests as the central thread.

HR/VP Blog – On 25 January we launched the first pilot of the new Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) concept in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa. In addition to our existing naval operations in the Mediterranean and in the Western India Ocean, we are strengthening our role as a global maritime security provider.

HR/VP Blog – Last week, at the European Commission, we adopted a new strategy to strengthen the international role of the euro and increase our resilience to extraterritorial unilateral sanctions. The fields of finance and economics are increasingly used as tools in international competition. We need to enhance EU’s strategic autonomy in these areas.

HR/VP Blog – For more than two months, conflict has been raging in the Tigray region in Ethiopia. The situation is desperate for the local population and the conflict is unsettling dynamics both within Ethiopia and the whole region. I have passed a clear message to the Ethiopian leadership: we are ready to help, but unless there is access for humanitarian aid operators, the EU cannot disburse the planned budget support to the Ethiopian government.

HR/VP Blog – The shocking events in Washington last Wednesday must be a wake-up call for all democracy advocates around the world. We need to fight harder against disinformation and inequalities and renew global cooperation to promote the rule of law and democratic values.

HR/VP Blog – Over the last weeks, we have witnessed a serious humanitarian crisis concerning hundreds of migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The crisis is largely due to the dysfunctioning governance in the country. However, it also reminds us of the urgent need to update our common asylum and migration policy.

HR/VP Blog – In 2021, we want to give fresh impetus to the partnership between the European Union and Africa. However, this partnership should not be limited to economic and political issues – culture and cultural exchanges should become a key part of it.

HR/VP Blog – Especially during the Covid-19 “infodemic”, we have seen how widespread and how damaging foreign interference and disinformation can be for our security, our democracy and our societies. Addressing disinformation is an urgent necessity.

HR/VP Blog – Five months after the rigged presidential elections of 9 August, the European Union continues to stand with the people of Belarus. Last Wednesday I met Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, former presidential candidate and leader of the democratic Belarus. During her visit she received the renowned Sakharov prize.

HR/VP Blog – Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and relations with Turkey have been one of the greatest EU challenges in 2020 and this will likely remain the case for 2021. It is not surprising that the last European Council of the year, held last week, has had this as one of its main foreign policy issues for discussion.

HR/VP Blog – Upholding European values and interests in the cyberspace is crucial for our democracies, our economies and our societies. This is what the new EU Cybersecurity Strategy adopted yesterday is all about.

Blog del AR/VP – Ayer, 14 de diciembre tuvo lugar una reunión informal de Ministros de Exteriores de la UE, América Latina y el Caribe a iniciativa de la Presidencia Alemana. Se trató de una reunión muy esperada y oportuna, para dar el reconocimiento que la Unión Europea debe dar a nuestra "otra" relación transatlántica.

HR/VP Blog – At Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council, member states agreed to launch a new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to strengthen our collective action in this field. Taking action on human rights is not only the right thing to do. It is also in our interest: more human rights means more freedom, prosperity and peace, for us all.

HR/VP Blog – Earlier this week, the EU and ASEAN took the decision together to establish a Strategic Partnership. It worth telling the story of the long road to this historic decision and what it means. At heart the EU and ASEAN are “partners in integration” working together for multilateral solutions.

HR/VP Blog – There has been a lot of discussion lately, and also some controversies, on the concept of strategic autonomy. It is time to clarify what exactly we mean with this concept and how it can help Europeans to take charge of themselves in an increasingly harsh world.

HR/VP Blog – Tuesday 1 December was a special day. It marked my first year in office as HR/VP and also the 10th anniversary of the EEAS. This was a good opportunity to take a step back and reflect on what has been achieved and where we go from here.

HR/VP Blog – During Monday’s Foreign Affairs Council with Development Ministers, we focused on the growing levels of debt that emerging and developing countries are facing due to the economic impact of the pandemic. We must tackle this problem in the coming months to avoid a serious rise in global poverty and inequality.

HR/VP Blog – With a ‘democratic recession’ underway and new threats to democracy emerging, we need to step up the defence of democracy, both at home and abroad. In particular, we should deepen our cooperation with fellow democracies to counter the rise of authoritarianism.

HR/VP Blog – Today, EU Defence Ministers discussed how to address tomorrow’s challenges and how the EU can become a stronger security partner. The Strategic Compass, the Permanent Structured Cooperation and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence are key to achieve this objective.

HRVP Blog - The ten countries of ASEAN and five Asia-Pacific countries (China, Japan, Korea, Australia and New Zealand) have just agreed a major trade deal that covers 30% of the world’s population and GDP. As the European Union, we welcome rules-based, multilateral economic integration and we should be pro-active by enhancing our engagement in and with ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region.

HR/VP Blog – The victory of Joe Biden as the President-elect has been warmly welcomed in Europe. Now we need to seize the opportunities this offers to rebuild EU-US cooperation. With a new US leadership ready to restore the partnership, the EU should prepare itself to step up its contributions. The world needs a US ready to listen and a Europe able to act.

HR/VP Blog – Last Tuesday we held the 5th EU-Pakistan strategic dialogue. With the prolonged and worsening COVID-19 crisis, the fight against terrorism and radicalisation, and the growing international tensions in the region and worldwide, it is more important than ever for the EU to deepen its ties with a country like Pakistan.

HR/VP Blog - There is never any justification for callous killings such as those that have taken place recently in France and Austria. The EU stands united and we appeal to all our partners in the world to work closely with us to fight terror, hate speech and disinformation.

HRVP Blog - Since the beginning of my mandate, I have been working on a new EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. We are now at the final stage of a long and complex process to establish it. Once the legal instruments adopted by the Council, this regime would allow us to go swiftly after perpetrators, wherever violations occur. Let me explain what this new regime is about and how the EU institutional machinery works.

HR/VP Blog — The Western Mediterranean always has been, and always will be, a key region for Europe. However, in order to develop mutually beneficial relations across the Mediterranean, we will have to successfully bridge the divide growing between its two shores, especially in economic terms.

HR/VP Blog - Last month, President Xi Jinping pledged that China would become carbon neutral by 2060. This announcement could be a tipping point in the global fight against climate change. It will accompany European efforts in the field of climate diplomacy.

HR/VP Blog - At our last Foreign Affairs Council, we took stock of our relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) at a time when this region is going through a dramatic crisis because of COVID-19. This was also much needed because the region has lately not been high enough on our agenda: we must reverse this trend.

HR/VP Blog - In times of crisis, we logically tend to focus on our own difficulties. Coming back from Africa, I would like to emphasise how much COVID-19 is reshaping the entire world economy. Let’s have a look around the globe to assess how the pandemic is changing the balance of wealth and power.

Last week, together with Commissioner Janez Lenarčič, I travelled to hand-over anti-COVID-19 material to the African Union Centre for Disease Control; to discuss with our African Union counterparts how to strengthen the EU-AU partnership in a post-pandemic world; and to underscore our support for the on-going reforms in Ethiopia, at a difficult moment.

This Wednesday, we discussed in the European Parliament the dramatic situation in Venezuela. The country suffers from a deep political crisis with enormous humanitarian consequences. In recent weeks we have been trying to help create the minimum conditions for free and fair legislative elections. So far, the Maduro government has refused to postpone them. However, I will continue to work for a democratic solution which is the only way out.

We need to strengthen our ties with Africa, a young and dynamic continent. First and foremost, in order to get to grips with the current crisis, and that will be the purpose of my visit to Ethiopia this week. But also in a more structural way to jointly foster economic development which is green, digital and fair on our two continents.

The EU sometimes struggles to take decisions on foreign policy due to divisions among member states. And yet many want the EU to play a stronger, geo-political role in a dangerous world. We need an honest debate without taboos on how best to achieve this, including on how we take decisions.

Last week, I took part with my colleague Vice-President Dubravka Šuica in an event organised jointly with UNICEF. The aim was to send an SOS to policy-makers around the world, asking them to give highest priority to schools in their plans to reopen their economies. A decisive issue for our common future.

On Tuesday, I was in Ukraine for my first visit as High Representative. The frontline in eastern Ukraine has been calm for almost two months now, the longest period since the war started. Since 2014, the EU has been the strongest partner of Ukraine. Our support will continue but is also linked to the urgent need to enhance the rule of law and develop the fight against corruption.

For weeks, people in Belarus have taken to the streets to protest the fraudulent Presidential elections and the wave of repression that followed. Last Sunday, once again the massive demonstrations were asking for the departure of Lukashenko. During our EU Foreign Ministers meeting we underlined our full support: the future of Belarus must be decided by the people of Belarus and them alone.

On September 12, I had a videoconference with my fellow foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The European Union shares many common views with this organisation. And in particular the will not to align with China or the US in the growing strategic rivalry between them. We must and will strengthen our ties.

These days, there is much talk about "Global Europe": how to make the Union a truly global player in a world marked by the strategic rivalry between the US and China, the questioning of multilateralism plus health and environmental crises. You will find here a synthesis of my views, as discussed recently with my fellow Commissioners.

Foreign policy never stops. But the summer of 2020 has been exceptionally busy, with a seemingly never-ending series of crises: in Lebanon, Belarus, Mali and the Eastern Mediterranean. At the informal Gymnich meeting in Berlin (27-28 August) we must forge a common way forward. It is both urgent and feasible to strengthen Europe’s international clout.

Last Monday I opened the Summer University of the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo in Santander (Spain). We mostly discussed the consequences of the current crisis for Europe and the world. At this stage, the risk seems serious that it destabilises many developing countries and strengthens a trend towards authoritarian regimes. In this context, Europe has a key responsibility to defend effective multilateralism and help developing countries in need.

The situation in Belarus has become a matter of grave concern. After last Sunday's Presidential elections, Alexander Lukashenko and the Belarussian authorities must stop the repression against the Belarus people and open negotiations with the wider society. Over the last months, the Belarusians have clearly shown that they long for democracy and respect for human rights. A substantial political change is a precondition for further development of the relations between the EU and Belarus.

The devastating explosions that hit Beirut last week killed and injured numerous people and have destroyed major parts of the city and the livelihood of many of its inhabitants. The international community, and in the first place the European Union and its Member States, has reacted quickly to mitigate the immense damage and suffering caused. However, as it is often the case when such disasters happen, the most important and difficult steps lie ahead: what thousands of Lebanese citizens are asking for is to tackle deeper-rooted problems. As a long-time friend of Lebanon, the EU will stand by their sides in their efforts to build a more prosperous and democratic Lebanon. We owe it to the victims of August 4th.

Every day we see deepening tensions between the US and China with clashes over a variety of issues. Positions are hardening with advocates of decoupling in the ascendancy in both Washington and Beijing. This US-China strategic rivalry will probably be the dominant organising principle for global politics, regardless who wins the next presidential US elections. In that context, we need to hold our nerve and frame our own EU approach. I would like to reflect here about a few principles that should guide us

The Internet plays a vital role in our lives, which is why we need to protect ourselves against cyber-attacks. Today, the EU imposed its first-ever cyber sanctions, to defend its citizens and companies from cyber threats.

After tough negotiations, EU leaders agreed an ambitiously funded recovery package. With this deal, the EU demonstrates its internal resilience and solidarity. This is vital for European citizens but it also provides the basis for Europe to engage the wider world. Our internal unity determines our external strength.

Water is life. We can survive several days without eating but not without drinking. Water is also the basic ingredient, essential to the production of all kind of food, whether vegetable or animal. This is why the issue of access to fresh water has always been central for humans, and has therefore always been a source of many conflicts. Inherently linked to climate change, economic development and population growth, however, these conflicts are today taking on an increasingly worrying dimension: access to water is becoming one of the main geopolitical issues of our century.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure to host – together with my new EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajcak – President Vucic of Serbia and Prime Minister Hoti of Kosovo for the first physical meeting after twenty months in of the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue.

On Wednesday, I participated, together with Presidents Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen, in the 15th EU-India Summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi via VTC. The Summit was originally supposed to take place in person, in Brussels, back in March. Now, 4 months on, the context in which we held the Summit has vastly changed: the covid-19 pandemic has affected us all. We live in a world increasingly dominated by the strategic rivalry between China and the United States where multilateralism is under siege. We have often stressed that, in this context, Europe must go its own way and be at the forefront of those who want not only to save multilateralism but to strengthen it.

I was glad to participate on 9 July in a panel of renowned international affairs pundits from all continents, organised by our EU ISS and Carnegie, to discuss how we can navigate the pandemic world together.

On July 7, the Foreign ministers of Germany, France, Egypt and Jordan held an important discussion on the risks linked to the unilateral annexation of parts of the West Bank. Unfortunately I could not attend as I was travelling in order to deal with other equally important issues. The EU was represented by the Secretary General of the EEAS and the EU Special Representative for the Middle East.

“Demography is destiny” said the sociologist Auguste Comte: the basic idea is that population trends and distributions determine the future of a country or region. Recently, my colleague Dubravka Suica, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for demography and democracy, provided us with an analysis of the foreseeable consequences of the demographic changes underway in Europe and globally. This work deserves our full attention, because this subject is both central to the Union's internal affairs and for its place in the world.

We need to build a common strategic culture in Europe. If we agree more on how we see the world and the challenges it contains, it will be easier to agree on what to do about them. Given our different histories, this will take time. It requires many discussions among all involved in the shaping of Europe’s foreign policy, both in Brussels and capitals. We need to understand where each of us is coming from; what worries people and why; but also what we have in common.

In the almost ten years since civil war began in Syria, I have followed closely its appalling developments and the horrors that the Syrian people have gone through. I come from a country that went through a civil war and perfectly know how it divides and destroys a society.

Making sure that a democratic transition succeeds is never easy, even at the best of times. Last year, Sudan embarked on a journey towards democracy, with the country’s youth and women paving the way. They wanted a better future for their country, after many years of dictatorship, abuses, mismanagement and corruption.

On 23 June I had the opportunity to speak before the Parliamentary Committee for the Economic and Social Reconstruction of Spain after the COVID-19 pandemic, in the Congress of Deputies. It was a great honour to appear in Spain’s parliament for the first time since my appointment as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

In Europe, discussions are under way on an ambitious recovery plan to deal with the consequences of the major economic crisis caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Following the joint proposal by Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel, the EUR 750 billion of additional expenditure proposed by the Commission should be financed through the issuing of debt instruments on the financial markets.

Rising international tensions and conflicts at the doorstep of Europe urge us to take our collective security into our own hands. Lately, four major Member States advocated making security and defence a top priority for the Union. I fully agree: since the beginning of the mandate of this Commission, we have placed our Common Security and Defence Policy at the very heart of the EU’s external policy. And while we have a long way to go, there is now an increased momentum to strengthen our collective capacity for action.

Tomorrow, European leaders will discuss the proposal for a new EU budget, also known in our jargon as the “multiannual financial framework (MFF)” for the years 2021-2027. Adding the 750 billion euros of the Next Generation EU instrument makes a considerable change from the initial draft budget presented by the Commission back in 2019.

The coronavirus crisis is creating a more competitive global environment, with confrontation growing faster than cooperation. As EU, we face rougher seas and risk getting caught in the cross-currents of major powers telling us to “pick a side”.

The EU has a strategic interest in having stable and successful neighbours: we can only be secure and thrive if our neighbours do. With the current coronavirus crisis, it is now more relevant than ever to be able to support our partners to build more resilient and democratic societies.

Last Monday, Dr. Tedros, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), participated at our videoconference with EU Development Ministers. He took the opportunity to discuss the Covid-19 epidemic and the role played by the WHO. He also assessed the current state of this pandemic. And it was quite alarming: although Covid-19 seems to be under control in Europe thanks to the large-scale measures taken by the Member States and the Union, this is not yet the case in the rest of the world.

If there is one thing that 27 EU member states agree on it is that we all believe in rules-based multilateralism. We repeat, almost mantra like, that we want a strong UN as the beating heart of the multilateral system. The Security Council is the world’s highest multilateral authority and it has the last word on matters of peace and security. I was very pleased to address the Security Council on the EU-UN cooperation (see here) and to express the EU’s strong support for the UN’s work, with concrete contributions in many areas and especially on peace and security.

In 2019, I visited as Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs the Simon Bolivar bridge, a 300 metres long bridge spanning Venezuela and Colombia. The bridge is named after the Venezuelan statesman and it was until the Venezuelan economic crisis a popular crossing point for citizens to shop across the border. Today, the bridge is a point where many Venezuelan refugees start the journey to look for a better future. At the time, I could witness the dire situations that many Venezuelans migrants and refugees are escaping from and the risks and misery they face.

I was glad that my friend Heiko Maas asked me to speak at the opening of the annual German Ambassadors’ conference, together with Chancellor Merkel. It was an opportunity to stress how high expectations are for the upcoming German EU Presidency, to guide Europe through the crisis and make sure we come out of it stronger.

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT). On this occasion, I want to focus this blog post on people who still suffer discrimination and violence because of their identity and because they cannot freely live and love according to their choice. More specifically, I want to pay tribute to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI+) community and to all the LGBTI+ activists who defend the right to be oneself.

The coronavirus pandemic will very likely deteriorate our security environment in the years to come, increasing the need for a stronger European Union security and defence policy, and for a stronger Union in the world.

On 9 May, we mark Europe Day. The 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration offers a chance to reflect on what European integration means and on the EU’s role in the world. I want to use this blog post to do this from a personal angle, to set out why Europe as an idea and political project is worth defending.

The world’s attention is legitimately focused on the global response to the coronavirus crisis. Despite its historic scale and intensity, COVID 19 does not rid us of the many other regional and global challenges we face. Quite the contrary: since it weakens the stability and development efforts of some countries, COVID-19 is an aggravating factor. We must therefore not only maintain our engagement with our partners but strengthen it.

This year, we mark World Press Freedom Day in the midst of a global pandemic. This gives us a special reason to pay tribute to all the journalists and media workers who bring us the news and analyse the world we are in.

A health crisis at the outset, the coronavirus pandemic soon turned into an unprecedented economic and social crisis. In an article published with several European think tanks, I sketch how COVID-19 could magnify three global developments.

It is now more than a month that the corona virus has Europe in its grip. While every day we work flat out to address the crisis in all its aspects, it is good to step back and reflect on what living with COVID19 means, for our daily lives, for Europe, for the wider world and how it will affect our society.

The coronavirus has not only Europe but the entire global community in its grip and is the world’s common enemy. An enemy we can only defeat with a global approach and cross-border coordination. And while we have to mobilise all our resources to fight the virus at home, now is also the time to look beyond our borders, most specifically at our sister continent Africa and the Southern Neighbourhood, as well as at the Western Balkans, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Because solidarity cannot be an empty word and also because for as long as the virus will not be eradicated everywhere, it will remain a threat to all of us.

Tackling the global pandemic requires an unprecedented mobilisation at all levels. On the external side, the EU is working hard to help bring back home stranded Europeans. It is also fully mobilised to help forge a global, multilateral response strategy and assisting those in fragile and conflict-affected countries.

Even in these difficult times with the Coronavirus outbreak, the EU is taking important decisions to bolster its engagement in the world. EU Member States have decided yesterday to launch a new CSDP crisis management operation in the Mediterranean Sea, called EUNAVFOR MED IRINI.

A very difficult week lies behind all of us, with the Coronavirus pandemic and its global consequences dominating the headlines and our thoughts. These developments also overshadowed an important decision that did not receive the attention deserved. In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, the European Union decided to open accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. This is good news for the two countries, the Western Balkans and for all of Europe.

COVID-19 will reshape our world. We don’t yet know when the crisis will end. But we can be sure that by the time it does, our world will look very different. How different will depend on the choices we make today.

At the end of my visit to Ethiopia and Sudan – which was my first travel in my new function as EU High Representative to Africa – I travelled last weekend to North Darfur. I met with local authorities and visited camp Zamzam, which for more than a decade hosts Internally Displaced People (IDP). The visit to the camp was an intensive experience, both encouraging and sad, and nice and disturbing at the same time.

During my recent visits to the Western Balkans, I had the opportunity to meet exceptional and impressive people from all walks of life. Focus usually lies on my meetings with political leaders. But now I want to highlight the exchanges I had with the people of the region: young activists who want cleaner air and a greener region; women with the drive to achieve our joint European future and who fight for a bigger role in resolving conflicts. I hope all these people with great ideas, expertise, talent and determination will play a significant role in advancing the EU accession process of the region. They must have this role, if this process is to succeed.

It felt a bit like a “Commission school trip”, but it was a powerful signal. No less than 20 EU Commissioners and President von der Leyen participated yesterday in the 10th joint meeting of the European Commission and the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. That so many Commissioners travelled was clear proof of the priority that relations to Africa represent for the new European Commission.

Every day we see vivid proof of the need for the EU to step up its game and take greater responsibility for its security. We have multiple crises burning in our neighbourhood and further afield. Crises that cannot be addressed by one Member State alone but require consolidated, joint action. If we do not act, others will and not always in a way that corresponds to our interests. If we want diplomacy to succeed – and we certainly do – it must be backed by action. And for this we need both the will and the means to do, including defence means.

Yesterday, I met the EU Special Representative for to Horn of Africa, Alexander Rondos. We had a long discussion about the challenges facing a region where 60% of the population is younger than 25 years old. This region of 250 million inhabitants hosts 10 million internally displaced persons and 4.6 million refugees. It is home to Ethiopia, the fastest-growing economy in the world during the last ten years.

Not many people may know, but right now the EU has around 5,000 women and men working for 16 crisis management missions and operations deployed on three continents – soon to become 17 with the new civilian mission to be launched in the Central African Republic. They are the beating heart of the EU’s common security and defence policy and often the face of the EU in crisis-zones around the world.

These days in foreign policy we understandably spend a lot of time dealing with crises, from Libya to Iran, Iraq, the Sahel and beyond. At the same time, it is critical to take time out and address longer-term strategic issues. The future of space is one and I was glad that on 21 January I could open the 12th European space conference.

My first visit outside the European Union in my capacity as High Representative took me to India. Over the course of two days, I met with members of the Indian government and addressed the annual Raisina Dialogue – India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics.

On Monday 13 January, I took part in the Pau Summit together with the Heads of State of the G5 Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad) and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Yesterday I had the honour to give a solemn undertaking before the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg with my European Commission colleagues. At a formal sitting before the Court, all Commission Members gave the solemn undertaking prescribed by the Treaties.

On International Migrants Day, we renew our commitment as European Union to address one of the key challenges and opportunities of our times: the humane management of the flows of people leaving their country in search of a better life, prosperity or safety. We Europeans know very well what this means, because our history has been and continues to be a history of migration.

At the beginning of this week, I had the honour of chairing in my capacity as High Representative the ASEM, the “Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers Meeting”. What might seem to be a rather bureaucratic acronym, actually is a politically highly relevant event for our continents.

I am excited that we agreed yesterday on an important milestone in the EU’s fight against climate change: we adopted the European Commission communication on the "EU Green Deal".

On 2 December, just my second day in office as High Representative and Vice President, I was among those who gathered in Paris to pay homage to the thirteen French soldiers who lost their lives in Mali on 25 November during an operation against jihadists.

I am privileged and honoured to take up the role of the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.