Ambassador Martin Selmayr

Israel/Palestine: Statement by the High Representative/Vice President Kaja Kallas Following the Israeli Cabinet’s resolutions and the constructive dialogue between the EU and Israel, significant steps have been agreed by Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Stri...

Today, we reached an agreement with Israel to expand humanitarian access to Gaza.

This deal means more crossings open, aid and food trucks entering Gaza, repair of vital infrastructure and protection of aid workers.

We count on Israel to implement every measure agreed

Statement↓ europa.eu/!rgD48X

In the videos:

Viviane Reding (2006)

@martinselmayr.bsky.social (2006)

Neelie Kroes (2011)

@ryanheath.bsky.social (2011)

Andrus Ansip (2016)

Miapetra Kumpula (2017)

Pilar del Castillo (2017)

Footage: @ec.europa.eu Audiovisual Service

The diplomacy of Pope Leo XIV: Already in his first days in office as head of the global Catholic Church, the new Pope has shown his readiness to activate the papal diplomacy🇻🇦to help world leaders moving towards an authentic, just & lasting peace in the many wars & conflicts on this planet.

It was a great honour and a pleasure to meet, as Ambassador of the European Union🇪🇺, the new Pope Leo XIV on the occasion of his first address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See🇻🇦.

Today Pope Leo XIV received the Diplomatic Corps. He outlined his foreign policy that will strive for peace, justice & truth. It was an honour for me as 🇪🇺EU Ambassador to meet the new leader of 1,4 billion Catholics whose own life experience has spanned North America, South America & Europe.

Fumata nera tonight in Rome.

This morning, ahead of the Conclave for the election of the 267th Pope, I had the honour to attend, as 🇪🇺EU Ambassador to the 🇻🇦Holy See, the “Holy Mass Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice”. May the new Pope be a person of wisdom, experience, and strong moral authority.

As 🇪🇺EU Ambassador to the Holy See, I was honoured & glad that the European Union, after 55 years of diplomatic relations, was strongly represented by @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu, @president.europarl.europa.eu, @kajakallas.bsky.social & EP Vice-President Sberna.

The funeral of Pope Francis was a very moving ceremony where we said goodbye to a global leader who was committed to human dignity, solidarity, multilateralism & the fight against food insecurity & climate change. It was also an important geopolitical moment in the quest for a just & lasting peace.

Personally, I found his commitment to a more modern church, to interreligious dialogue & to enhancing the role of women in the church remarkable.

One of his last official acts was the appointment of Sr. Raffaella Petrini to the office of President of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State and President of the Governorate.

May he rest in peace.

In 2016, on the initiative of Jean-Claude Juncker, Martin Schulz & Donald Tusk, Pope Francis was awarded the Charlemagne Prize🇪🇺.

Pope Francis’ unwavering solidarity with migrants & the weakest in society, his firm opposition to the death penalty, his strong commitment to addressing climate change and debt relief, as well as his tireless calling for a just & lasting peace inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis was a very special Holy Father to me.

I had the honour and privilege to meet him several times during my life, and he always impressed me with his humility, his deep humanity, his warm personality, but also with his great sense of humour.

As 🇪🇺EU Ambassador to the Holy See, I was honoured & glad that the European Union, after 55 years of diplomatic relations, was strongly represented by @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu, @president.europarl.europa.eu, @kajakallas.bsky.social & EP Vice-President Sberna.

The funeral of Pope Francis was a very moving ceremony where we said goodbye to a global leader who was committed to human dignity, solidarity, multilateralism & the fight against food insecurity & climate change. It was also an important geopolitical moment in the quest for a just & lasting peace.

One of his last official acts was the appointment of Sr. Raffaella Petrini to the office of President of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State and President of the Governorate.

May he rest in peace.

Personally, I found his commitment to a more modern church, to interreligious dialogue & to enhancing the role of women in the church remarkable.

In 2016, on the initiative of Jean-Claude Juncker, Martin Schulz & Donald Tusk, Pope Francis was awarded the Charlemagne Prize🇪🇺.

Pope Francis’ unwavering solidarity with migrants & the weakest in society, his firm opposition to the death penalty, his strong commitment to addressing climate change and debt relief, as well as his tireless calling for a just & lasting peace inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis was a very special Holy Father to me.

I had the honour and privilege to meet him several times during my life, and he always impressed me with his humility, his deep humanity, his warm personality, but also with his great sense of humour.

As 🇪🇺EU Ambassador, I intervened today at the 🇺🇳@FAO Council to express the EU‘s deep concern about the severe impact of Russia‘s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine on the Ukrainian people and on global food security.

During the @FAO Council🇺🇳 I exchanged views with Oksana Osmachko, 🇺🇦Ukraine’s impressive Deputy Minister on EU-integration. We discussed the continuing severe impact of Russia‘s war of aggression on global food security. I confirmed the EU’s unwavering support to Ukraine. #StandWithUkraine🇪🇺🇺🇦

The Council of the 🇺🇳Food & Agriculture Organization @fao.org meets this week in Rome to discuss global food security challenges + potential FAO reform. As 🇪🇺EU Ambassador, I’ll work with my colleagues from Member States to achieve broad cross-regional consensus on making FAO fit for purpose #UN80.

In every job, you stand on the strong shoulders of your predecessors. I am particularly grateful to my direct predecessor @avalkenburg.bsky.social who managed to identify & prepare #VillaEuropa🇪🇺 so well as new seat of the EU Delegation in Rome. Thank you so much, dear Alexandra!

#VillaEuropa🇪🇺, the European Union‘s new embassy in Rome, was inaugurated this week, with 3 Commissioners, 1 EP Vice-President & many distinguished diplomatic guests attending. Right across the street from @fao.org, our new office underlines that the EU is & will remain committed to the 🇺🇳.

In Rome this week, the 🇪🇺EU‘s new Commissioner for Fisheries & Oceans Costas Kadis discussed with experts from 🇺🇳UN @fao @ifad.org & the diplomatic community his plans for the EU Oceans Pact & the UN Oceans Conference. High on the agenda: the fight against illegal, unreported & unregulated fishing.

An der @uniinnsbruck.bsky.social habe ich diese Woche mit Experten über aktuelle Fragen des EU-Nachhaltigkeitsrechts🌱 diskutiert. Völker- & Europarecht geben wichtige Leitplanken für politische Ermessensausübung zwischen Klimaschutz & Wettbewerbsfähigkeit in Zeiten von Trump 2.0 vor.

We #StandWithUkraine🇪🇺🇺🇦. As long as it takes.

You are never alone, dear Ukrainian friends.

We will continue working with you for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace.

At today‘s meeting of the @eucouncil.bsky.social AGRI-FAO working group in Brussels, I discussed with representatives of the 27 EU Member States & Commission the future of @fao.org. As main contributor, the 🇪🇺 is committed to making this important 🇺🇳 Organisation more efficient & more accountable.