Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis’ statement upon arrival at the informal EU General Affairs Council (Arles, 04.03.2022)

The need to protect the citizens of Ukraine, and especially the Greek Diaspora Greeks as well as the need for compliance of all Western powers and Turkey with the imposition and implementation of economic sanctions against Russia, were raised by Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis at today’s informal General Affairs Council, held in the French city of Arles.

In particular, upon arrival at the Council, Mr. Varvitsiotis expressed his concern about the latest developments in Ukraine, especially following last night’s strikes at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and stressed the need for cooperation between the EU and all NATO countries in order for the sanctions to really make sense and put pressure on President Putin to change his strategy. “That is why we will ask our partners in the EU to exert pressure on Turkey to align itself with the other countries in imposing economic sanctions”, the Alternate minister pointed out.