Prime Minister António Costa defended this Thursday that it is essential to maintain sanctions against Russia and Belarus, but warned that it must be ensured that African and Latin American countries do not experience “undesirable collateral consequences”.
“We can never ignore the fact that in these sanctions against Russia and in the sanctions against Belarus, we must maintain the conditions so that all other third countries, namely African countries and Latin American countries, do not suffer unwanted collateral consequences,” said António Costa, shortly before the start of the European Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium.
The Portuguese Prime Minister added that the EU should consider the possibility of blocking agricultural production “through these sanctions” and that this will affect the union between the countries – and which the EU wants to expand to more states – which are under pressure. Russia to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), the Portuguese António Guterres, is present today at the meeting of the European Council. When he arrived, he said he would “exchange views” with EU member states on sanctions.
António Costa considered it important that “the European Union knows how to listen to the wise and sensible voice of the UN Secretary-General so that the sanctions achieve their intended objectives”, but “without affecting other countries, other peoples, and, let alone endanger food security on a global scale”.
The leader of the Portuguese executive recalled that since the start of the conflict in February last year, “Russia has lost all important votes” in the UN General Assembly.
However, in order to keep putting pressure on Moscow “it is essential that not only European countries do this”.
António Costa praised António Guterres’ role in establishing the “Black Sea Grain Initiative”, which enabled the export of more than 23 million Ukrainian grains, helping to contain the rise in food prices.
The export of these grains from Ukraine, one of the world’s largest exporters, is of particular importance to African countries, where there is a shortage.
Despite the EU’s commitment to Ukraine, António Costa recalled that this is only “one dimension of international relations” and “the commitments made by the European Union, for example with the African Union, at the summit a year ago should not be underestimated”. .
The prime minister also warned of the growing tension between Washington and Beijing: “We don’t want to live in a world where, after decades of bipolarization between the former Soviet Union and the United States, we have a new world fragmented between China and the United States. … a role that Europe, Africa and Latin America can and must play, together with other Asian partners, to have a fairer, more balanced world where peace is consolidated.”
Source: DN
