“Keep calm and carry on” was how Minister Mogherini summarised the informal EU foreign ministers meeting on Ukraine held in Athens, considering “phase two” of the sanctions sufficient. The third phase is being prepared but will only go into effect if further steps are taken to destabilise Ukraine”, said Mogherini, explaining however that it must not come to that, since that would mean the failure of Europe’s diplomatic strategy.
“Neither relax nor react”
“Our task is to avoid getting to the point of having to apply them”, said the minister, according to whom the “EU is doing what it must”, and that it was therefore essential “neither to relax nor react”. The priority must be to “avoid a domino effect and the further destabilisation in Ukraine”. Of course, if the EU’s efforts fail “then there will surely be consequences, but they will be in reaction to our political failure”. But the Ukraine crisis, Minister Mogherini underscored, also risks overshadowing other neighbourhood policy fronts such as the Mediterranean, particularly the situations in Syria and Libya, and concerns for refugees. “The Mediterranean must remain a prime focus”, the minister underscored.