President Zuzana Caputova on Thursday met with eleven EU counterparts belonging to the Arraiolos Group in Valleta, Malta, with their talks focusing on the security situation in Europe and energy crisis.
"We all face the same challenges - high energy prices, Moscow's arbitrary reduction of gas supplies to Europe and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine," Caputova said. At the meeting, the president spoke with her counterparts from Greece, Portugal, Italy and Poland about cooperation in the field of energy and a joint European response to the energy crisis. Caputova called these countries important players in the transport of natural gas to Europe, adding that cooperation with them could boost Slovakia's energy security. Caputova at the same time noted that it should not be forgotten that the energy crisis is a reminder of an excessive dependence on fossil fuels, which need to be replaced by renewable energy sources.
The presidents also discussed increased illegal migration in several European countries. Caputova opined in this vein that restricting the free movement of people within the Schengen area should be the last resort.
In the context of the war in Ukraine, the presidents discussed the need for continued joint pressure on Russia. They also talked about the latest package of sanctions against Russia on which the EU agreed only recently.
Source: TASR
