This transcript was automatically generated and may contain errors.

Good afternoon. Is it on?

It's on, doesn't sound like it's on. Good afternoon.

It's good to be in New York.

We just finished the Foreign Affairs, Council,

meeting together with, Brazilian, Mexican, and Indian, colleagues.

It was, important discussions ahead of the United Nations, General Assembly.

So, a few topics, basically in a broader picture too. Middle East and Ukraine.

So first on the Middle East, the situation in Gaza is a devastating failure of humanity.

The Israeli government must lift all humanitarian restrictions immediately.

Expanding settlements and annexing territory are incompatible with peace,

and it is clear that Hamas must lay down its arms and release all hostages.

In the European Union, we have tried to put the focus on

helping the people on the ground and really improving the humanitarian situation.

We are the largest humanitarian donor and a strong supporter of the Palestinian Authority.

Ministers were clear that a two-state solution is the best chance of a lasting peace.

This means a safe and secure Israel and a viable Palestinian state.

So today, just as we finish here,

we go to this two-state solution conference and it

can help to revive the momentum towards that goal.

Of course, we also addressed Russia's war against Ukraine.

Russia is showing absolute contempt for any attempt of diplomacy.

Prospects of peace recede with every Russian air strike.

Moscow's repeated violations of European Union airspace are reckless,

dangerous and risk situations that can get out of hand, and we need to stand firm.

In response to Moscow's escalation,

the EU presented a new sanctions package last week.

This is hitting Russian banks, energy companies,

crypto exchanges and Chinese companies enabling the war.

Any source of income for the Kremlin to fund its war is a necessary target.

In parallel, we are also increasing our support to Ukraine.

Europe's military aid to Ukraine is at a record high in 2025, with €25 billion so far,

and we are also exploring ways to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.

The impact of Russia's war stretches beyond Europe. Every day.

Russia breaches the core principles of the UN Charter, and together with our colleagues today we were also discussing

that multilateral order is really something that we all need to defend,

and the UN Charter is at its core.

The EU's relations with Brazil, India and Mexico are important economically, but also for protecting the rules-based international order, and,

and just last week,

the European Union unveiled its new blueprint to deepen ties with India,

with Mexico.

We are updating our free trade agreement and I just a few days ago.

I was in Brazil where, talks about the future of the international order were front and center of our discussions and

as we mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations,

it is clear that the global order is under heavy fire.

This is an argument for better and more efficient United Nations.

Our message today to our partners was simple the European Union is a reliable actor. We support multilateralism.

We support free trade and world grounded in the UN Charter,

and together we are stronger to uphold these values.

And with that, I'm happy to take questions. Thank you very much.

Please introduce your media, and we'll take a couple before we go. Please go ahead. James Baer from Al Jazeera.

High Representative, you haven't yet mentioned the Iran nuclear talks and snapped back.

Iranian sources are saying that there is a meeting planned between the Europeans,

including yourself, and the Iranian Foreign Minister.

Can you confirm that and can you tell us, given the deadline is fast approaching on Saturday,

what you think are the chances of avoiding snapback?

Well, I, I stand ready for all the talks and also diplomatic solution.

It's clear that there has to be an agreement in

the end that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.

That is a worry that all the countries also around. Iran and the wider space have.

So as I've said before, I'm really willing to explore the ways to find a diplomatic solution,

and it's true that the snap pack has been triggered

and we have limited time to come to a conclusion. Hard to tell. We look to that.

John Reith from Reuters, you, say that you have to have a firm response to Russia, especially after these latest incursions.

Does that mean that, NATO should be shooting down Russian planes?

Well, it is clear that Russia is testing us,

how far it can go.

It's also trying to sow fear within our societies that you know if we are supporting Ukraine,

then this war comes to other territories and it's expanding, and that's why we have to be very firm.

On this, as the Polish Prime Minister today said, if the planes are violating airspace, every country has the right to defend itself and act accordingly,

and this is, I think, important to understand that everybody has an obligation

in front of their own citizens that these kind of incursions are not happening. We, hello Leon Bruno France Press.

I'd like to go back to the, the Palestinian issue, given the debate today that's going to be at the, at the UN, is the EU, well,

let me ask it this way, has there been any movement in your discussions today,

for sanctions against Israel that were put on the table last week?

Yes, we briefly discussed this,

and many ministers asked how do we proceed with this.

Of course, today we are having this Foreign Affairs Council here in New York, which is a bit different setting than we have in Brussels every week,

so we will come back to the issue in October and the will of most Member States.

Expressed their opinion was that we would proceed quickly to go on with the proposals that were put on the table,

so we will definitely have the discussions in October.

Whether we are able to come to a decision in October it's hard to tell,

as our ambassadors are currently working on this. Thank you. Thank you, Marianna Vasquez from Euronews.

I have a question on Palestine and the recognition of some countries, some European and Western countries recognize the, the Sea of Palestine. What is your assessment?

Is that another drop in the ocean because in, in terms of what's happening on the ground it's not gonna change much.

Mr President, all of the European countries support the two-state solution, so in order to have two states more equal then the steps

of Member States regarding the recognition also have taken place,

to send a clear signal that European countries support also Palestinians in this conflict.

Now, of course, the two things, I mean the humanitarian situation on the ground that

we try to improve now all the time is not really dependent on the recognition.

Of the country, but I think these two tracks have to be kept in mind that you know,

supporting the two-state solution also means that the two states actually continue to exist.

Daniel Russell from the Financial Times, how divided though is, is the EU over the idea of recognizing Palestine?

I know, hear what you say about the two-state solution, but not everyone, is in favor of recognizing Palestine and If I can add something on that,

the Italian Foreign Minister Tajani today said that recognizing Palestine, a state that doesn't exist is a gift to Hamas.

Is that undermining the unity of the European Union on this. Thank you.

So, yes, it's up to Member States to recognize or not recognize any any countries,

but I think today we have a number of countries who are coming forward and recognizing,

which makes, I think the majority of European countries recognizing. Palestine.

Now, of course it is a decision of, individual member states to take, that step.

Now, this is Regarding Hamas,

the European position is also very clear.

All the European member states are saying that Hamas should have no role in the future governance of Gaza,

and we are also supporting or putting forward the Additional sanctions on the leadership of

Hamas to really put the pressure so that there would be a ceasefire and hostages.

I think these things should be kept separately.

If we talk about a two-state solution, then there has to be two states,

and that's why the member states have taken the steps to recognize

so that there would be another state or in addition to Israel.