PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS AND TRADE Deputy Prime Minister Borg recalls Malta’s neutrality policy in first meeting with EU HRVP-designate Kallas

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade Ian Borg met with the designate High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission (HRVP) Kaja Kallas, earlier today.

On the sidelines of this month’s Foreign Affairs Council, in Brussels, Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg congratulated Kallas, noting the importance of the next five-year term to continue strengthening the Foreign Affairs Council and its link with the European Council.

In this first meeting, the deputy prime minister highlighted Malta’s policy of neutrality within its security and defence policy. “We uphold our military neutrality and expect the international community to respect it. However, politically, we do not shy away from making our positions clear on important issues – we continue to stand against what is wrong and uphold what is right,” he added.

The worsening situation in the Middle East, Russia’s escalating aggression against Ukraine and EU-US relations were high on the agenda during today’s Foreign Affairs Council. 

Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg thanked outgoing HR/VP Josep Borrel for persisting in keeping the EU focused on the Middle East conflicts. “It is evident that there is no military solution to these conflicts and only through diplomacy can we forge a path towards stability, mindful of the long-term challenges that are obstructing the ultimate goal of a two-state solution.”

“Palestinians and Israelis have the right to live in peace and security in their homeland,” he continued.

He also expressed Malta’s concern on the latest attacks on Ukraine and the recent involvement of third countries in Russia’s war effort, expressing concern that such escalation poses a real risk to the region’s shared European security.

The Deputy Prime Minister also called on the EU to continue strengthening the transatlantic partnership, adding that “this relationship has historically served as a fundamental pillar of global peace and stability, and continues to be essential for the EU, so we must spare no effort to keep strengthening it”.