Poland assumes EU Council Presidency, Ukraine’s MFA responds

The Polish EU presidency website states this, according to Ukrinform.

"The Polish presidency will support efforts to strengthen European security in all its dimensions: external, internal, informational, economic, energy, food, and health sectors," the statement reads.

Poland took the helm of the EU Council at a time when Europe is facing the consequences of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and emphasizes the importance of enhancing its defense capabilities.

"For Europe, this is a time of trials and decisions. The European Union must protect itself and its citizens and care for its immediate neighborhood. It must provide Europeans with a sense of security and a vision for development," the Polish EU presidency stresses.

Special attention is given to the need to maintain unity in Europe and cooperate with like-minded partners, particularly with EU candidate countries.

The program of Poland’s EU Council presidency focuses on several key areas, with defense and security being the top priority.

"Coordinated and ambitious actions are needed in the field of European defense, complementing efforts within NATO… A priority for the Polish presidency will be strengthening cooperation with NATO and with like-minded countries outside the EU, primarily the USA, as well as the UK, South Korea, and others," the statement emphasizes.

Strengthening European defense should include increasing military spending, developing the defense industry, and addressing weaknesses in Europe’s defense capabilities.

In the context of protecting citizens and borders, the emphasis is placed on the need to maintain an optimal level of internal security in Europe. "We will work on new approaches to find comprehensive solutions to migration and security issues at the EU’s external borders, reduce illegal migration, and improve the effectiveness of return policies," the Polish presidency notes.

Special efforts will be directed towards an adequate EU response to hybrid threats and counteracting the use of migration as a tool of pressure on Union countries.

The priority remains the fight against external interference and disinformation.

"The Polish presidency will strive to strengthen cooperation in the fight against disinformation and information manipulation, to improve the EU’s ability to prevent and mitigate the impact of hostile actions in cyberspace," the statement says.

Another key task is ensuring the security and freedom of business. The Polish presidency plans to focus on addressing challenges related to rapid technological changes, the energy and climate transition, as well as geopolitical instability. The need to deepen the single market, remove barriers to cross-border activity, and restore fair competition for European industry on the global stage is emphasized.

One of the key priorities of the Polish presidency is the energy transition. The main goal is to completely stop importing Russian energy.

"Steps will be taken to reduce energy prices in the EU and to revise the framework conditions for EU energy security, in order to strengthen the physical and cyber protection of energy infrastructure in the EU and its neighborhood, and to establish legal frameworks for the development of clean energy sources in the European Union," the statement emphasizes.

Efforts will also be focused on reducing the EU's dependence on external technologies and critical raw materials by promoting domestic production of key components.

Another important area will be ensuring the competitiveness and resilience of European Union agriculture.

"We need a competitive and sustainable European agriculture that will provide food security for Europeans. All EU actions must take into account vulnerable agricultural sectors and ensure that producers outside the EU adhere to EU standards for food quality and safety… We will work on the challenges this sector will face with the future enlargement of the EU," the Polish presidency notes.

In healthcare, the Polish presidency will focus on digital transformation and enhancing medical security in the EU, paying special attention to the needs of patients. Key tasks will include diversifying the supply of medicines and encouraging their production within the European Union.

Ukraine expects Polish leadership, principled stance, decisiveness

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wished Poland success in its EU Presidency and stated that Kyiv is counting on Warsaw’s leadership, principled stance, and decisiveness.

"As friendly Poland begins its second EU Council Presidency, we count on Polish leadership, principled stance, and decisiveness," he wrote on X.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also expressed hopes for close cooperation with his Polish counterpart, Radosław Sikorski, regarding the EU-Ukraine agenda.

"We anticipate new initiatives to strengthen military support for Ukraine and sanctions pressure on the aggressor. We aim for a dynamic process of Ukraine's EU accession, including the opening of Cluster 1 and other clusters based on the results of the screening process," Sybiha emphasized.

• Poland handed over three Mi-8 and Bell 412-HP helicopters to Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs for training future pilots.