Marek Estok: Russia Must End Attacks on Ukraine, We Didn't Support Sanctions

Brussels/Bratislava, 16 July (TASR) - At a meeting of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Tuesday (15 July), Slovakia stressed that Russia must end its attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and engage in meaningful dialogue, TASR has learnt from the Foreign Affairs Ministry's communications department. At the same time, Slovakia didn't support the political agreement on the 18th package of anti-Russian sanctions, pointing to the ongoing negotiations on guarantees by the European Commission (EC) regarding the REPowerEU proposal, which would cut member states off from Russian natural gas supplies as of 1 January 2028. Slovakia was represented at the meeting by Foreign Affairs Ministry State Secretary Marek Estok, who appealed for global support for an absolute and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine at the UN General Assembly in September. "I appreciate Ukraine's continued commitment to an absolute and unconditional ceasefire. Russia must end its attacks on civilian infrastructure and engage in meaningful dialogue," he stressed, praising the diplomatic efforts of the United States to date and the engagement of the European Union. In addition to the war in Ukraine, developments in the Middle East, the situation in Moldova and Georgia and preparations for the Pact for the Mediterranean were high on the agenda of the meeting, said the ministry. Ministers and state secretaries of EU-member states also welcomed Israel's commitment to significantly improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which Estok views as the result of the dialogue between the EU and Israel. "That's why Slovakia continuously advocates maintaining direct communication channels. We expect the Israeli side to fulfil its promise to increase the volume of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and to allow unblocked access to it for the civilian population," said Estok, who also praised the ceasefire achieved between Israel and Iran. He called for the restoration of Iran's full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, which oversees nuclear facilities. ko/df