On 20th May 2022, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg attended the annual meeting of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of the now 46 member states of the Council of Europe, which was held in Turin this year under the Italian Chairmanship. The ministerial meeting focused on the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, which, on 16th March 2022, which had also led to the exclusion of the Russian Federation from the Council of Europe on March 16, 2022.
Our Europe of today is completely different from the one at the last ministerial meeting – war is back in Europe. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in violation of international law has caused enormous destruction and untold human suffering. That’s why, for the first time in the 73-year history of the Council of Europe, we had no choice but to exclude a member,
said Foreign Minister Schallenberg, who once again assured Austria’s unwavering solidarity with Ukraine.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for the participating foreign ministers to reaffirm their commitment to multilateralism and the common values and principles of the Council of Europe – human rights, democracy and the rule of law. It also provided an occasion to review the state of implementation of these principles in Europe based on General Secretary Marija Pejčinović Burić’s annual report.
Like no other institution, the Council of Europe represents our common values and principles, which have been shaken by the Russian war of aggression. The Council of Europe must use this turning point for reforms. Because in the future, more than ever, we need a Council of Europe that is powerful and acts as a strong shield to defend the universality of human rights,
underlined Foreign Minister Schallenberg the importance of the Council of Europe.
Thus, he said, it must be ensured that the geopolitical momentum triggered by the Russian war of aggression does not remain a moment of shock, but that it is used sustainably to secure and assert the Western model of life. Therefore, Foreign Minister Schallenberg also spoke clearly in favor of admitting new members and welcomed the application for membership in the Council of Europe submitted by the Republic of Kosovo on May 12, 2022.
In the course of the meeting, Foreign Minister Schallenberg also took the opportunity to exchange views with his counterparts from Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and the United Kingdom. In addition to the effects of the Russian war of aggression far beyond the borders of Ukraine, the bilateral talks also covered the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia and Moldova, issues surrounding EU expansion and the Northern Ireland Protocol.
