Ukraine’s reconstruction is advancing even in the most difficult circumstances. In Kyiv, I met Minister Kuleba to discuss how @coe.int can continue to support this effort through our Action Plan and the activities of our Kiev office.

In my meeting with PM Svyrydenko, we addressed the reforms that underpin Ukraine’s recovery and its EU path. Recovery must go hand in hand with reform, transparency and European standards. @coe.int will continue to accompany Ukraine on this decisive journey.

Meeting Acting Minister of Justice Suhak. Priorities for the next @coe.int Action Plan for Ukraine 2027-30 are clear: penitentiary reform, execution of judgments, strengthening independence of the judiciary. These are essential for the EU accession efforts and for democratic resilience.

At a Point of Invincibility in Kyiv, where people come to keep warm and try to keep some sense of normalcy as strikes continue. It is heartbreaking to witness what Ukrainians are going through. @coe.int stands ready to help ensure that when peace comes, it is built on justice and accountability.

With Minister Shmyhal, we addressed the devastating impact of Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure: cold homes, dark hospitals, lives upended. Ukraine’s authorities respond with resolve.

What war shatters cannot be rebuilt with concrete alone. With Minister Ulyutin, we spoke about the lives disrupted and the duty to restore dignity. Our next Action Plan will reinforce social protection, justice & rights for veterans, internally displaced persons, children and victims of war crimes.

With President Zelenskyy, we agreed to move decisively, at the highest level, on the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. The @coe.int stands at the heart of Europe’s democratic security and continues to accompany Ukraine on its EU path and reform journey.

Parliaments are the driving force of democratic accountability.  With Verkhovna Rada Speaker Stefanchuk, we stressed their crucial role encouraging @coe.int member states and partners to join the Special Tribunal for Ukraine and reinforcing support for the Action Plan for democratic security.

SG @alain-berset.coe.int in Kyiv: "At this crucial moment for Ukraine and for Europe, we must remember that hard security and democratic security go hand in hand. NATO’s defence pillar cannot stand without CoE’s support to democratic security and long-term stability." vimeo.com/1165342855?f...

At this crucial moment for Ukraine and for Europe, we must remember that hard security and democratic security go hand in hand. NATO’s defence pillar cannot stand without the rule of law, human rights and accountability.

Le 24 février 2026, à l’Université de Lausanne, nous ouvrirons un débat essentiel: quelle sécurité démocratique dans une Europe qui se réarme? Votre présence et vos questions nourriront ce débat nécessaire. Inscription: events.unil.ch/register/604...

Meeting with EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration @magnusbrunner.bsky.social. Migration is a defining European issue. No country can address it alone. Our response must be rooted in cooperation, human rights and the rule of law.

Welcoming Slovenia’s signature of the Council of Europe Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer by Minister of Justice Andreja Kokalj. Bringing Europe a step closer to shared standards that protect those who defend our rights.

Our standards apply inside the Organisation as much as outside. We are addressing this with seriousness and transparency.

With Commissioner @martakos.ec.europa.eu, we discussed how our institutions can advance democratic security in Europe. The @coe.int plays a key role in supporting our member states on their path towards EU accession. Grateful for our strong alignment on the #NewDemocraticPact.

Wrapping up Greece with a strong sense of alignment. Strong conversations on democracy, the rule of law and the importance of trust at a moment of pressure across Europe. Institutions matter. Democratic security is built, it doesn't happen on its own. #NewDemocraticPact 🇬🇷

Europe stands strongest when it stands together. @coe.int member since 1949, Greece has helped shape Europe’s democratic foundations. With President Tasoulas, we reflected on how that legacy translates today into shared responsibility for democratic security & the #NewDemocraticPact.

With Greek PM Mitsotakis, we discussed the pressures on Europe’s democratic order. The United States cannot do without Europe as a strong, reliable partner. We also addressed the #NewDemocraticPact, AI and social media, and migration under international law.

Europe’s democratic security depends on alignment among partners. In discussion with MFA Gerapetritis, I welcomed Greece’s support for the #NewDemocraticPact, its engagement with @coe.int's future external relations strategy & our ongoing cooperation on migration. To be continued in Chisinau in May.

Speaking in University of Athens, and receiving the Lord Byron award, is deeply humbling. Greek tragedy reminds us how easily people come to believe that the ending is fixed. Democracy asks something harder: to refuse apathy, to keep participating, and to continue upholding the rule of law.

Great exchange with the Greek Parliamentary Assembly delegation. Grateful for your support for #NewDemocraticPact and the commitment to renewing democracy and strengthening multilateralism. Greece’s democratic tradition and experience bring real depth to this shared work.

Naïvely, we thought democracy would simply expand, generation after generation, and peace in Europe would endure. There is no way back to the old world. We must find a way forward. Read my op-ed: www.ekathimerini.com/opinion/1294...

Wrapping up my visit to Belgium. At a time of great acceleration, when decisions are made arbitrarily, it feels precious to step into the mind of Victor Horta.

Inspired meeting Belgian civil society @coe.int Brussels Office. You are often the first place where young people engage with democratic life. Your attentiveness to their concerns and your sense of responsibility matter greatly. 1/2🧵

Democracy does not renew itself. It requires work, doubt, and choice. Taking responsibility for judgement. @vubrussel.bsky.social, this spirit of free inquiry is a real source of inspiration. Thank you for this rich exchange. This is exactly what the #NewDemocraticPact needs.

With President of the Senate of Belgium @vincentblondel.bsky.social, we discussed disinformation and the importance of unity and trust. Institutions have to rise to this challenge. Not only through rules, but through communication that is fact-based, credible and connected to people’s lived reality.

As H.M. King Philippe recalled, a lighthouse helps keep direction in rough seas. This is why it represents the New Democratic Pact. @coe.int was born long ago & Belgium, as a founding member, helped build it for moments like this. Now, as the storm grows stronger, its mission matters more than ever.

An essential and open discussion on migration and democracy with Justice Minister @anneliesverlinden.bsky.social. We agreed that a balance between rights and security is needed. A strong ECHR system, an active civil society, and space for diverse voices are key to getting this balance right.

Good exchange with MFA Maxime Prévot on European values, democratic resilience, and strengthening trust at a time of pressure and fragmentation. This feeds directly into the New Democratic Pact. Hoping to continue the conversation in Chișinău in May.

Une visite qui s’inscrit dans un moment important pour l’Europe. Ces rencontres seront l’occasion d’échanger sur nos valeurs, la démocratie et les choix que l’Europe doit assumer.

Today, speaking with civil society representatives @coe.int, I stressed that the New Democratic Pact for Europe needs you. It needs those who create trust, defend rights, and keep democratic life real beyond elections. Learn more about the Pact & how you can participate: www.coe.int/en/web/new-d...

If we do not have rules, only power and brutality remain. In an interview with CH media, I reflect on democracy under pressure, disinformation and war in Europe. www.watson.ch/schweiz/inte...

It was a pleasure to attend the opening of the judicial year of the @echr.coe.int. Wishing the Court and all those who serve it a successful year, as human rights protection is increasingly tested across Europe.

Wrapping up an important week of @coe.int Parliamentary Assembly session.
A clear sense of acceleration in the international environment — and of geopolitical shocks arriving faster, and simultaneously.
Thank you for the many productive discussions and exchanges this week. 1/4🧵

Met with Nadim Cheikhroua, producer of The Voice of Hind Rajab, ahead of its screening this evening @coe.int HQ. This film is a powerful reminder of the reality faced by civilians, especially children, in Gaza — and of the absolute obligation to protect them under international humanitarian law.

Thank you to @coe.int Parliamentary Assembly for this open and substantive Q&A. Key questions on Ukraine, Greenland, the Middle East and today’s international order. 🎥 Full exchange: youtu.be/9Qbr-i_cizE

Thank you, MFA Ararat Mirzoyan and Armenia, for this symbolic gift marking 25 years in the @coe.int. The Datastanagirk — Armenia’s first judicial code — reminds us that the rule of law is not new, but deeply rooted across Europe.

With the Danish Parliamentary Assembly of the @coe.int delegation, we discussed how democratic institutions respond to complex realities. From migration pressures to the strategic, geopolitical tensions, such as those surrounding Greenland — our strength lies in unity around our European values.

Good exchange with 🇲🇩 MFA Mihai Popșoi as we move full speed towards the May Ministerial in Chișinău. Foreign Ministers from 46 member states & partners will address foreign interference, disinformation & migration. Seeking shared solutions in the spirit of the New Democratic Pact for Europe!

Democracy requires trust. Data protection helps ensure personal data is not turned into a tool for manipulation, discrimination or silent exclusion. This is why the @coe.int treats data protection as a democratic safeguard. Have a good #DataProtectionDay!

Speaking at the Parliamentary Assembly of @coe.int session today, I made one thing clear: law is Europe’s form of power. Europe does not need a “me first” politics. It needs democracy first. Human rights first. The rule of law first. Watch the full speech: youtu.be/pWP1UhUDZYY

Antisemitism did not end in 1945. Nor did hatred that targets people for their faith. To remember the Holocaust is to refuse all forms of religious intolerance, here and now.

Welcoming Armenia’s signature of the @coe.int Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. Thank you, MFA Ararat Mirzoyan, for the signature and our valuable discussion on the South Caucasus. To be continued at #EPC Yerevan.

So much has been said, and yet nothing is ever said enough. The Holocaust was a collapse of humanity. As the era of witnesses ends, the responsibility passes to us. So that we never have to say “never again”…ever again.

On the margins of the first Parliamentary Assembly of @coe.int session of 2026, I met with the European Conservatives, Patriots & Affiliates (ECPA) group. An open exchange on democratic challenges across Europe, the South Caucasus, and the consequences of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Warm congratulations to @petrabayr.bsky.social on her election as PACE President! Leading a pan-European parliamentary forum is no small task. Especially now, when holding together many voices, tensions and expectations matters more than ever. Looking forward to future cooperation!

Good meeting with Mr George Floridis, MOJ of Greece. We exchanged views on democratic security at a time of growing pressures on justice systems, including those linked to migration. Grateful for Greece’s support for the New Democratic Pact for Europe.

A strong start to the first PACE session of 2026: honoured to receive MOJ Hubig’s signature, on behalf of Germany, of the @coe.int Convention for the Protection of the Profession of Lawyer.

The Council of Europe and the @ec.europa.eu have signed an agreement to set up an advance team for the future Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. A key step towards strengthening accountability, preparing the tribunal’s structures, and supporting justice for Ukraine.

Strong democratic institutions depend on strong leadership. Today, I met with the Heads of Offices of the @coe.int. Through our diverse cooperation activities their work supports governments and civil society in advancing human rights and rule of law across Europe and beyond!