In her introductory statement, Ms Kallas pledged to work on strengthening the EU’s position in the world and safeguarding its geopolitical and economic security. She also called for more investment in defence and stressed the importance of cooperating with international partners.

Aid for Ukraine and results on enlargement in the next five years

Ms Kallas warned that Russia, Iran, North Korea, and – more covertly – China, want to change the rules-based world order. She called on the EU to respond to this threat alongside its closest allies and partners “without losing an inch of who we are”. On Russia’s war against Ukraine, she said that Ukraine’s victory is a priority for the EU, which has to provide as much military, financial and humanitarian aid as is needed. Ms Kallas argued in favour of Ukraine’s accession to the EU and stressed that enlargement to neighbouring countries is a geostrategic investment that is in the EU´s own interest: “In the next five years we…