Swedish minister misses EU summit in Kiev over passport mishap
Date
10/4/2023 7:31:55 AM
(MENAFN) Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom encountered an unexpected hurdle when he inadvertently left behind his passport, preventing him from entering Ukraine for an important EU Council summit held in Kiev. This incident was reported by the Austrian newspaper Die Presse on Monday. Notably, Billstrom was not the only European minister to miss the meeting, where the European Union pledged "solidarity" to Ukraine but did not announce any new military assistance.
According to diplomatic sources cited by Die Presse, the absence of his passport led to Billstrom being barred from crossing the Poland-Ukraine border on the day of the summit. The meeting, which convened EU foreign ministers in Kiev, required Billstrom to undertake an eight-hour train journey to the Ukrainian capital. However, it is worth noting that this gathering was primarily symbolic in nature.
While the EU Council's decision to hold the summit in Kiev marked a historic departure from the union's usual locations, the event yielded limited tangible support for Ukraine. Despite the show of "solidarity," the summit did not result in any fresh commitments for military aid to Ukraine. This outcome underscores the challenges and complexities surrounding international responses to ongoing geopolitical issues and conflicts in the region.
MENAFN04102023000045015682ID1107187198
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.