European ministers of the member states met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the next EU summit. The agenda for the upcoming meeting includes topics such as supporting Ukraine, security and defense, competitiveness, foreign relations, and setting the agenda for the next five-year period. Discussions are underway about the use of frozen funds of the Russian central bank, which will be coordinated at the G7 level in Italy in mid-June.
Anders Adlercreutzin, a European Minister, believes it is positive that the EU has decided to use the interest income from funds to benefit Ukraine. However, he suggests further consideration on how the funds themselves could be used, not just their income. He acknowledges that there are legal and moral challenges to address when deciding how to use these funds.
The meeting also touched on the rule of law situation in Poland. The EU Commission announced an improved situation resulting in the cancellation of an Article 7 procedure against the country. The Council of Member States expressed broad support for ending this procedure, signaling progress toward normalcy for Poland. Discussions on the rule of law remain crucial as lessons are learned from cases like Poland and Hungary. While there is support for ending these procedures, continuing monitoring of
