“In these days our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people, victims of an unjustified aggression by Putin’s Russia, who are bravely defending themselves, even with Europe’s support”, said Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Benedetto Della Vedova, speaking at a plenary session of the Conference on the Future of Europe, currently being held in Strasbourg. “I consider this united reaction by Europe the proof of a clear political will, that the EU is capable of reacting firmly and effectively to a crisis”. The sanctions imposed so far are not to be underestimated, they are the most powerful ever taken and they are effective – he added – and more may come.
The Undersecretary then pointed out that the citizens’ recommendations collected so far for the Conference clearly call for a stronger role to be played by the European Union on the international stage, for a more efficient response to crises, for the protection of human rights, for the development of a proper European defence, which in turn entails the definition of a common foreign policy.
“The panel on Europe in the world, for example, clearly recommended that all decisions on foreign policy that require unanimous consent be changed into decisions that require a qualified majority”, he said, “I also consider very topical the recommendation that suggests that the EU should adopt a strategy to become more independent in the production of energy, thus reducing its reliance on third countries”.
