By Muhammad Sohail
An informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU member states (the so-called Gymnich) took place in Copenhagen on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August 2025. The Czech delegation was led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský. The discussions focused primarily on the Russian aggression against Ukraine, the use of frozen Russian assets and the situation in the Middle East.
The main point was Saturday’s discussion on the 19th package of sanctions against Russia and other measures against the Russian shadow fleet. “If Putin does not show a real interest in peace, we must increase the pressure of sanctions. Russia must pay for the damage it has caused – not European taxpayers,” said Minister Lipavský.
A significant part of the meeting also focused on the issue of using the proceeds from frozen Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The Czech Republic has long supported this approach. The ministers also discussed the need for security guarantees for Ukraine in the context of the ongoing peace negotiations.
Minister Lipavský also discussed the situation in the Middle East, especially in Gaza. He emphasized that humanitarian aid must flow directly to civilians and must not end up in Hamas warehouses. “This year, the Czech Republic has allocated 26 million crowns to help Palestinian civilians, including financing medical teams directly in the Gaza Strip. Another 15 million are going to projects in the West Bank,” the head of Czech diplomacy reminded of Czech aid.
The meeting also included discussions on cooperation with non-European partners – Great Britain, Norway and Iceland. ” Unity is not only important within the EU. The stronger our cooperation with partners, the stronger our security ,” the Czech minister emphasized.
On the sidelines of the talks, an informal meeting was also held with representatives of the Belarusian opposition, Sviatlana Cichanouska, and her husband, Syarhei, who was recently released from prison. The Czech Republic has long supported Belarusian democratic forces, including through their office in Prague.
