The front line is moving west but it should be moving east. Ukraine requires more ammunition, air defence, trained soldiers — points that Foreign Minister Sybiha reiterated also today via video. More military support for Ukraine and stronger sanctions on Russia are two sides of the same coin. More military support for Ukraine is very important for our own security as well. So, I welcomed that the Ministers today agreed to extend sanctions on Russia.
This will continue to deprive Putin of revenues to fund his war. At the height of winter, the Kremlin is using also energy to blackmail Moldova. At the height of winter, the Kremlin is also using different tools, so we will help to restore electricity and heating for over hundreds of thousands of its people, Moldovan people. In times of need, you will always support [your] friends, so we are there for our friends. We saw this across the European Union. The Baltic Sea has seen major cases of damage of undersea installations.
Our failure to deter such actions sends a dangerous signal to any aggressor. Weakness invites them in. That is very clear. Together, we are strengthening our situational awareness, preparedness and resilience. Failure to act now risks further aggression — not just from Russia but also from others. Raising the costs for those behind these attacks is essential. This must also include stronger sanctions against Russia's shadow fleet.
Developments in the Middle East were also high on the agenda. Today we reached the political agreement to begin easing sanctions on Syria. This could give a boost to the Syrian economy and help the country get back on its feet. While we aim to move fast, we also are ready to reverse the course if the situation worsens.
 "Escort girls in West Jordan")
In parallel, we will scale up humanitarian aid and recovery efforts. On Israel and Palestine. The release of Israeli hostages is good news. Palestinians are returning to the north of Gaza. The ceasefire is fragile, but it is holding. We are supporting its implementation, including by redeploying our civilian mission to Rafah to supervise border checks. Reopening the crossing will allow the transfer of injured individuals out of Gaza for treatment.
