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Below is a statement by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, on the first anniversary of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman led the third Strategic Dialogue between the two countries in Washington today. Established in 2020, the Dialogue provides a framework for discussions and exchanges of views on bilateral cooperation and current political, security and other issues and challenges in the international community.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon addressed the Eleventh Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York marking the first anniversary of the start of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Slovenia strongly supports the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and Member States working towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

State Secretary Marko Štucin today attended the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels. In the run-up to the March European Council, the agenda of the meeting between Ministers and State Secretaries for European Affairs included Ukraine, competitiveness, the EU's single market and economy, energy and migration.

Around two million four hundred thousand Slovenians at home and abroad speak Slovene as their first, mother tongue, meaning that Slovene is their language of communication, learning, thinking and creating. People also dream in their mother tongue.

State Secretary Marko Štucin met with the Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer. Their conversation focused on the current security situation in Europe and the consequences of Russian aggression against Ukraine.

At the 59th Munich Security Conference, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the Female Foreign Ministers’ meeting and roundtable discussions on climate change and EU enlargement. She also held a number of bilateral meetings. “I present Slovenia as an open and modern country and an excellent candidate for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2024–2025 term”, the Minister said.

On the margins of the 59th Munich Security Conference, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon, as a member of the Informal Group of Women Foreign Ministers, attended a meeting hosted by German and Canada Foreign Ministers. At the meeting, 10 ministers adopted and signed a joint statement on women and girls rights in Afghanistan and Iran.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted Deputy Foreign Minister of Bulgaria Velislava Petrova. They talked about the ways of enhancing bilateral relations and went on to exchange views on the current European, regional and international issues, including EU enlargement.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon paid an official visit to the Kyrgyz Republic to strengthen economic cooperation, political dialogue, and the bilateral and multilateral partnership.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has released half a million euros in emergency humanitarian aid to help mitigate the consequences of the earthquake that struck the Republic of Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic on 6 February 2023. Of this amount, EUR 100,000 was contributed through the Slovenian Caritas, the strategic partner of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in emergency humanitarian response, for the purchase of blankets, clothes and food packages.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is on a working visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan. She is accompanied by a business delegation composed of representatives of twelve Slovenian companies and of the Slovenian agency SPIRIT.

The Planica Nordic Centre hosted the Business-to-Diplomacy event entitled “Planica”, which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ski Association of Slovenia. The event was attended by around 40 foreign ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Slovenia, both resident and non-resident, and representatives of Slovenian companies and institutions from the sports sector.

Today, Secretary of State Marko Štucin held talks at the Vatican with the Undersecretary for Relations with States of the Secretariat of the Holy See, Msgr. Mirosław Stanisław Wachowski.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, Dr João Gomes Cravinho, for an official visit. The two counterparts advocated the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between their respective countries, underlining the need for enhanced partnership between the European Union and the Mediterranean countries.

State Secretary Marko Štucin paid a working visit to Rome today to meet with the Italian Minister for European Affairs, Raffaele Fitto, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, and the Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of the Interior, Wanda Ferro.

In 2005, the UN General Assembly in New York declared 27 January International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day, the world commemorates the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and the millions of victims of World War II, including those who died in concentration camps.

The 26th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomacy, which took place at Brdo pri Kranju on 25 and 26 January and was attended by 55 heads of Slovenian diplomatic missions and consular posts, including a number of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, outlined the new guidelines for Slovenia's foreign policy strategy.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon received Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain, José Manuel Albares Bueno, who was on an official visit and also participated as the guest of honour at the 26th Consultations of Slovenian Diplomacy. They discussed bilateral relations and the feminist foreign policy that Spain is promoting as a foreign policy concept.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, which focused on the war in Ukraine. Ministers also met with Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh, and heard a report from Minister Fajon on her joint visit to Montenegro with Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg.