By David Lammy, British Foreign Ministers and Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs
The opinions expressed in this article are those of their author and in no way represent the editorial position of Euronews.
“Sometimes we both feel powerless to prevent so much suffering in the world. But we have the power to determine how we work together,” write Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the EU and David Lammy, his British counterpart.
Houses reduced to ruins. Families torn apart. Innocent civilians killed or forced to flee to escape hell.
Such scenes seem to belong in the history books. But from Kyiv to Gaza, from Beirut to El Fasher (in Darfur), they are the reality of today’s unstable world.
In the face of such suffering, we both feel the moral imperative to act. But we are also convinced that European citizens cannot afford to treat these conflicts as someone else’s problem.
With more conflicts underway today than at any time since World War II, the EU and UK have a vested interest in greater stability. Security and justice are global.
They do not only concern the immediately affected countries or regions. Insecurity hurts our prosperity: conflicts around the world deprived the global economy of almost $1,000 billion (€913 billion) last year.
Both the United Kingdom and the European Union are strongly committed to responding to conflicts and crises. But we are always stronger when we work together to meet these challenges.
This is all the more evident to our friends and neighbors, united by our shared values and our mutual interest in greater global stability.
Yet we still have much to do to strengthen UK-EU defense and security cooperation and make it as deep and broad as would be expected of two partners with so much in common.
Sometimes, even with the privilege of our positions, we can both feel powerless to prevent so much suffering in the world. But we have the power to determine how we work together. We choose to come together in partnership.
We cannot let our adversaries drive a wedge between us.
Today, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council, together with the foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states, we will discuss how we can collectively support Ukraine and defuse tensions in the Middle East.
This initiative underlines our shared conviction that the darkening global outlook requires, more than ever, a strong Europe.
It also demonstrates the new British government’s commitment to repairing relations with the rest of Europe. And it shows how important the EU and UK are to each other as valued partners.
But this meeting also has practical objectives.
In the short term, our message and our actions are more powerful when we speak with one voice. Our adversaries seek to drive wedges between us, as well as between the West and other countries around the world. We must be clear about our position.
We strongly support Ukraine against Russia’s war of imperialist aggression. We seek a just peace consistent with the Charter of the United Nations. Putin’s interference in Georgia and Moldova, in the Western Balkans and on the streets of our own cities is unacceptable.
We remain steadfast in our call for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon and in our diplomatic commitment to lasting peace for the region, in full respect of international law.
Israel has the right to defend itself and we strongly condemn Iranian attacks against Israel. A new spiral of violence is in no one’s interest.
Now is the time to ensure unhindered access to humanitarian assistance and to refocus on a two-state solution and settlement in Lebanon based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
Let’s strengthen the bonds that protect us for the future
From joint G7 work on sanctions that have deprived Putin’s war machine of more than $400 billion (€365.3 billion) since his full-scale invasion, to large-scale humanitarian aid to civilians In Sudan, the UK and EU have already made a difference together.
In the long run, today is an opportunity to begin laying the foundation for a stronger bond that will protect us in the future.
With the EU and UK’s ambition to become closer security partners, we need to strengthen our cooperation across the full range of foreign and security challenges we face as a continent.
David Lammy is the British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, and Josep Borrell is the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
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