Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, sent tonight a letter of condolences on the passing of Ambassador Vitaly Churkin to the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov.

“With Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, the Russian Federation has lost one of its most eminent diplomats. At various occasions, I also personally appreciated his vast experience and his openness. I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to his family and the Russian Foreign Ministry on his untimely passing.

As the Russian Permanent Representative to New York he played a leading role on the UN Security Council for more than 10 years. He was an important interlocutor also for the European Union on the many issues that are of key interest to the Union at the United Nations, including on issues where the EU and the Russian Federation did not always see eye-to-eye.

Recently I particularly appreciated his important role in the negotiations that led to UN Security Council Resolution 2240, which authorised Operation Sophia, the EU naval operation in the Mediterranean.

Ambassador Churkin was also instrumental in establishing regular exchanges between the Security Council and the Political and Security Committee of the European Union.