The first agenda item, dedicated to Ukraine, was attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha. Ministers discussed further military assistance to Ukraine, the use of frozen Russian assets, and the EU’s 19th sanctions package.

“I welcome that the next sanctions package includes a Czech proposal — to restrict the movement of Russian diplomats within the Schengen area,” said Minister Lipavský. According to him, the measure would bring full reciprocity and strengthen security.

“We believe that at Thursday’s European Council meeting (23 October), the new restrictions on Moscow for its aggression against Ukraine will be adopted,” he added.

The ministers also discussed relations between the EU and the Indo-Pacific region, focusing on strengthening practical cooperation. Minister Lipavský underlined that Southeast and East Asia are increasingly important partners for Europe and that the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific are inseparably linked. “If we want to effectively counter threats from Russia and China, we must not lose sight of this connection,” he stated.

The final agenda item was the current situation in the Middle East. The Czech Foreign Minister welcomed the peace plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. “Gaza needs peace, the end of Hamas, humanitarian aid, and future reconstruction. At the same time, Israel’s security must be ensured. In discussions with EU ministers, I also voiced support for European humanitarian and security efforts in the region,” he said.

Following the Council, ministers joined their counterparts from the Black Sea and Central Asian countries for the first-ever EU Ministerial Meeting with the region. The main topics included the security and stability of the Black Sea region in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the development of connectivity, especially transport corridors linking Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia.