Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset on Wednesday called for greater European unity in response to mounting geopolitical challenges, from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and instability in the Middle East to migration and foreign interference.
Speaking in Monaco, where the Principality hosted the first meeting of the Committee of Ministers after the summer break in the context of its Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, the Secretary General warned that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has escalated to unprecedented levels. The situation in the Middle East is far from resolved, with direct consequences for Europe.
“The political dynamics in our member states may alter the relative equilibrium and stability to which we were used since the end of the Cold War”, with foreign information manipulation and interference and artificial intelligence making the dynamics much less predictable than in the past, he argued.
In his address to ambassadors representing the 46 Council of Europe member states, Secretary General Berset argued that that these crises are one threat to democratic security and must be answered as one. The organisation’s reform, he added, should follow the same logic.
Europe’s place at the peace table
The Secretary General noted that “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine continues to be waged with growing intensity”, with an escalation of Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian cities causing loss of civilian lives and the targeting of industrial and economic objects on a large scale. He warned that Russia’s actions have also led to deterioration of security in and around the Black Sea and rising tensions in the Baltic airspace, which “put Europe dangerously close to the spillover of the armed conflict and horizontal escalation”.
“In these unprecedented circumstances, European unity around Ukraine to further strengthen its resilience is crucial and will remain a priority for the Council of Europe. As we have demonstrated with our accountability mechanisms, the Council of Europe is able to forge this unity through multilateralism and our shared values”, he said.
“The time has also come for a direct, active and determined European role in the peace process. This is not only logical because the war is being fought on European soil but also a guarantee that international law and human rights, which remain the cornerstone of European peace and security order, will be upheld,” he stated.
He also highlighted the upcoming approval of the new Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine, which will contribute to Ukraine’s long-term democratic security.
Escalation in the Middle East
Regarding the renewed escalation in the Middle East, Secretary General Berset stressed that it “shows once again how rapidly regional confrontation can spread and affect Europe’s own security” and emphasised that the Council of Europe’s message must be consistent: “international law is not optional. Civilians must be protected, humanitarian access guaranteed and all actors must work towards de-escalation”.
While underscoring Israel’s right to live in security, he stressed that international law must be fully respected. As regards Gaza, he noted that the humanitarian situation remains catastrophic, and that “full, safe and sustained humanitarian access is imperative”.
A collective response to migration challenges
Referring to the recent events in Ceuta, where tens of thousands of migrants crossed the border from Morocco to Spain in one day – and over one hundred people died – the Secretary General highlighted how migration challenges can raise fundamental questions of European security. While reiterating the Council of Europe’s support to Spain and all those affected in this crisis, he noted that states have the right to control their borders and protect their territorial integrity, as recognised by the European Court of Human Rights.
He underlined that in the Chișinău ministerial conference in May member states welcomed the Council of Europe role in facilitating a constructive and balanced debate on migration. He also explained work in progress to provide a collective response from all Council of Europe member states to migration challenges, particularly migrant smuggling.
Eastwards, along the 39th parallel
The Secretary General highlighted that Europe’s geopolitical centre of gravity is shifting east, with one nuance: "the geopolitical centre of gravity of Europe is shifting eastwards along the 39th parallel north. That axis runs through four member states.” Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye stand at the crossroads of the war in Ukraine, the war in the Middle East, and political and economic shifts in Central Asia whose scale, he said, Europe has not yet absorbed.
One year after the Washington Declaration, he said Armenia and Azerbaijan have a genuine opportunity to turn progress into lasting peace, and Armenia and Türkiye have taken steps towards normalised relations. On Türkiye, the largest member state by population and holder of NATO’s second-largest military force, he was direct: "No serious conversation about security and also democratic security on this continent takes place without it."
Peace between governments is not enough. It requires trust between societies, respect for rights, and institutions able to sustain reconciliation, which is what the common legal space delivers. Its strength, he warned, "depends on the compliance with its norms by all member states, without exceptions, but also on trust, transparency and the absence of double standards."
