“At my meeting with the NATO Secretary General, I presented the priorities of the new Czech government. We discussed in particular security in the Arctic, the situation in Ukraine, and the Czech Republic’s contribution to collective security,” said the Czech Foreign Minister.

Minister Macinka then discussed relations with the United States and Israel, as well as the war in Ukraine, with EU High Representative Kaja Kallas. With Commissioner Marta Kos, he focused on EU enlargement and stability in neighbouring regions.

On the second day, the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) took place, which Minister Macinka attended for the first time. The meeting focused on the situation in Ukraine and was joined via videoconference by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Ministers discussed the humanitarian and energy crises as well as sanctions policy.

“As long as the war continues, there can be no consideration of easing the sanctions approach,” Minister Macinka stated.

Within the Middle East agenda, ministers approved sanctions against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and agreed on their designation as a terrorist organisation. The meeting also included an informal lunch with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

In further sessions, ministers addressed the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and developments in the Great Lakes region. On the margins of the FAC, Minister Macinka held a number of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Denmark, France, Italy, Portugal, and Germany.

Minister Macinka also attended the EU–Morocco Association Council, where he delivered a short address. The Council focused on relations between the European Union and Morocco, including cooperation in the areas of migration, trade, and regional stability.