European Council President: Freedom and human rights cannot be achieved through bombs

Freedom and human rights cannot be achieved through bombs, European Council President António Costa said on March 10, addressing the second day of the annual conference of EU ambassadors.

“Only international law upholds them,” Costa said.

Protecting civilians, ensuring nuclear safety and respecting international law is crucial, he said.

“We must avoid further escalation. Such a path threatens the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. The consequences are severe, including in the economic sphere, as demonstrated by the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.”

So far, there is only one winner in this war – Russia, Costa said.

“It steadily undermines Ukraine’s position by flouting international law. It gains new resources to finance its war against Ukraine as energy prices rise,” he said.

“It profits from the diversion of military capabilities that could otherwise have been sent to support Ukraine. And it benefits from the reduced attention to the Ukrainian front as the conflict in the Middle East takes centre stage.”

We are now entering in the fifth year of the Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, a gross violation of the United Nations Charter and a game-changer for the European Union, Costa said.

Since the very first day, the European Union has been unwavering in its support to Ukraine on all fronts: financially, politically, diplomatically, in terms of security and reconstruction, he said.

This multipolar world requires multilateral solutions, Costa said.

“Not spheres of influence, where power politics replace international law. We know the new reality: a reality in which Russia violates peace, China disrupts trade, and the United States challenges the international rules-based order.”

Costa said that, in this new reality, the first mission of the EU must be to defend the rules-based international order.

“We must uphold the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, as outlined in our Treaties. Violations of international law must not be accepted – whether in Ukraine, Greenland, Latin America, Africa, in Gaza or the Middle East. Human rights violations must not be tolerated – whether in Iran, in Sudan, or in Afghanistan.”

The war in the Middle East is of the utmost concern, Costa said.

Iran is for sure responsible for the root causes of this situation, he said.

“But unilateralism can never be the path forward. Attacks by Iran and its proxies, like Hezbollah, against its neighbours – including Cyprus, a member state of the European Union – must stop.”

The rapid response from Greece, France, Italy and Spain, sending military forces to protect Cyprus, is a powerful example of European autonomy and steadfast solidarity, Costa said.

The European Union calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and return to the negotiating table, he said.

The European Union stands with the long-suffering people of Iran,” Costa said.

“We support their right to live in peace and determine their own future. We believe their human rights and freedoms must be fully respected,” he said.

(Photo: Council of the EU)