Maintaining External Relations: The Commission has implemented several measures to safeguard the Community's diplomatic ties with Central and Eastern European nations.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is set to travel to Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday, continuing a series of high-level meetings aimed at strengthening European Union (EU) cooperation and advocating for reforms. This trip follows a joint ministerial council visit in Paris in January.

During her stay, Minister Baerbock will attend a French cabinet meeting, where the agenda includes discussing support for the people of Ukraine, the European approach to China, and close German-French coordination for the resilience, strength, and competitiveness of the EU. This meeting is a testament to the Aachen Treaty signed in 2019, which stipulates that ministers from both Germany and France should regularly participate in each other's cabinet meetings.

In the context of the ongoing crisis in Sudan, Minister Baerbock will express her gratitude to her French colleagues for their trust and teamwork during the joint evacuation of German, French, and other nationals. The successful evacuation operation has been hailed as an example of "C'est de l'amitié franco-allemande vécue!" (This is lived French-German friendship!).

Minister Baerbock's talks in Paris will also focus on making the EU more capable of action and fit for future enlargements. To this end, she has founded a 'Friends of the Council' group along with Germany, France, and seven other member states. The group aims to advocate for qualified majority decisions in the Council, a move that could expedite decision-making processes, particularly in the area of common foreign and security policy.

Following her visit to Paris, Minister Baerbock and her French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, will attend the Kleeblatt meeting in Berlin and the Gymnich meeting in Stockholm. These meetings provide a platform for EU foreign ministers to discuss and coordinate on a range of pressing issues.

As the EU demonstrates strength and unity in the past year, the need for faster and more effective decisions in Brussels cannot be overstated. The slowness in decision-making processes has been a point of concern, and the 'Friends of the Council' group represents a significant step towards addressing this issue.

In the face of numerous challenges, the close cooperation between Germany and France serves as a beacon of hope for the future of the EU. The safe return of evacuees from Sudan, ensured through this cooperation, is a testament to the potential of the EU when its member states work together effectively.

Maintaining External Relations: The Commission has implemented several measures to safeguard the Community's diplomatic ties with Central and Eastern European nations.