Ahead of an important Executive Board session of the World Food Programme, EU🇪🇺 Ambassadors met this morning to exchange views on how to best support the fight against hunger. In a volatile global context, we continue to stand firmly behind WFP’s life-saving mandate and the brave work of WFP staff.

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.

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.

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.

#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.

The European Commission, under the leadership of Commissioner Christophe Hansen, has presented on 19 February 2025 a new vision for Europe’s agriculture 🌱🌾🐓🐂🌻🚜 and food 🍏🥖🥩🥔🥕. Important guidance for the work of #TeamEurope🇪🇺 in Rome that worked on the international dimension. 👉 europa.eu/!Yhnhwv

At this week‘s Executive Board meeting of the 🇺🇳UN‘s @WFP, I confirmed on behalf of the 🇪🇺European Union that we are & will remain a reliable & predictable partner of this important humanitarian organisation, its excellent leadership & its highly committed staff. We count on WFP & WFP can count on 🇪🇺.

Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Europe stands with you for a just and lasting peace, with strong security guarantees. We will keep providing continued and stable support to Ukraine. And speed up work on your EU accession. Joint read-out with @eucopresident.consilium.europa.eu ↓ europa.eu/!MfPPPC

Russia recklessly attacked again the Chornobyl nuclear site. Such attacks on civilian nuclear sites are unacceptable. It shows once again that Russia is not looking for peace.

Thanks to @jnbarrot.bsky.social for hosting an important conference on Syria in Paris today. Ministers will discuss how to support the transition process following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The EU remains committed to doing its part. The 9th Brussels Syria Conference will take place on March 17

This year’s #MSC2025 comes at the most important moment in recent history. It is up to us decide how we support Ukraine. Any peace deal will not work without us, because you need the Europeans and Ukrainians to implement it.

The Western Balkans are part of the European family. Our security is inseparable. Our cooperation is essential. Today in Rome, I underlined this shared security perspective and our hope for real progress in the next five years on EU enlargement, based on progress with reforms.

Today, @kajakallas🇪🇺 paid a visit to the 🇺🇳World Food Programme in Rome. With Cindy McKain, she discussed the Grain from Ukraine for Syria initiative. From the Operations Centre, she then connected to the impressive WFP staff in Ukraine, Gaza, Syria & Sudan. We are & remain reliable partners🇪🇺🇺🇳.

The 🇪🇺EU & the 🇻🇦Holy See have diplomatic relations since 55 years. In times of harsh geostrategic competition, it is important to deepen our dialogue whenever we have common interests, from the fight against climate change and hunger in the world to strengthening the rules-based multilateral system.

Key takeways from this week’s EU Ambassadors Conference for the 145 EU Ambassadors in the world under the leadership of @kajakallas.bsky.social @eeas-secgen.bsky.social. We Stand With Ukraine🇪🇺🇺🇦

What a week! 5 days rich of strategic reflection & debate just came to an end. It was great to interact with my 145 colleagues Ambassadors & hear from the EU’s leadership. Ukraine now has to be our top priority. Because Putin wants all of Ukraine, and it is not his to have. #StandWithUkraine🇪🇺🇺🇦

As the EU Ambassadors Conference continues, key discussions are shaping the future of EU foreign policy. Read more about some of the topics on this week's agenda.

The EU around the world must be the EU we want to see in the world: The antithesis to the autocratic axis forming today. Extract from my speech at the Conference of EU Ambassadors ↓

💯days as 🇪🇺EU Ambassador in Rome: It is an honour to serve as Ambassador to the Holy See🇻🇦, the 🇺🇳UN Organisations in Rome (FAO, WFP, IFAD), the Republic of 🇸🇲San Marino & the Order of Malta. My mission: fight the human-made causes of hunger in the world & strengthen the rules-based international system

At Kyiv’s Wall of Remembrance, I paid my respects to the Ukrainians who made the ultimate sacrifice defending their country. Ukraine’s unbreakable resolve will long outlive Putin’s imperial delusions. The European Union will continue to stand with Ukraine.

She “is the European politician who has proven that she knows best how to read Putin” - Martin Selmayr The early morning starts, speed-reading memos, meticulous notes and the books she has read so far this year - A profile of Kaja Kallas: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...