Josep Borrell wraps up tumultuous time as EU's top diplomat

Brussels — 

Josep Borrell took a heavy enactment arsenic the bid rumbled crossed Ukraine astatine the extremity of his last sojourn aft 5 tumultuous years arsenic the EU's overseas argumentation chief.

"I consciousness a definite nostalgia," the 77-year-old Spaniard said, hunching guardant to beryllium heard implicit the sound of the tracks.

"We've been moving intimately with these people, who are large people, who are warring for their survival,” helium said. “And who knows what's going to hap with them?"

The occupation of EU apical diplomat has often been seen arsenic thankless — trying to coordinate the sometimes radically opposed positions of 27 countries, each jealously guarding their ain overseas policy.

But Borrell's tenure, wrapping up adjacent month, has thrust him into the halfway of immoderate of the astir consequential events successful caller satellite history.

He has helped steer the bloc's effect to the COVID pandemic, Russia's penetration of Ukraine and warfare successful the Middle East.

Ukraine war

It was Moscow's all-out battle successful February 2022 that upended European information and came to predominate his clip astatine the helm.

Borrell, a Socialist erstwhile Spanish overseas curate with much than 40 years of governmental experience, instantly pushed for the EU to wage for weapons deliveries to a state astatine war, a longstanding reddish enactment for the bloc.

"This was a breakthrough successful the mode we behaved."

Since then, the EU has spent billions much connected arming Ukraine and Russia has been deed by repeated rounds of unprecedented sanctions contempt regular obstacles from reluctant EU states specified arsenic Hungary.

While the Ukraine situation has revealed the EU's willingness to act, the warfare successful Gaza by opposition has been the astir achy occurrence for Borrell.

Since Israel unleashed its devastating violative aft the October 7, 2023, onslaught by Hamas, the EU has had nary power to curb the suffering, with its subordinate states profoundly divided implicit the conflict.

He said the refusal by subordinate states supportive of Israel to bash much has damaged the EU connected the planetary stage.

"My biggest vexation is not being capable to marque it understood that a usurpation of planetary instrumentality is simply a usurpation of planetary law, whoever does it," Borrell said.

'Break taboos'

The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs is constrained by however acold subordinate states are consenting to go, and a elemental connection tin instrumentality days of wrangling.

Borrell has often angered EU capitals by going beyond their agreed positions.

"One has to interruption taboos," helium said. "Agreed connection astir of the clip says nothing. We hold connected saying nothing."

Critics, and determination are plentifulness successful sharp-elbowed Brussels, accidental Borrell has not helped his case, with galore gaffes and immoderate tactical missteps.

A debased constituent of his tenure was a disastrous travel to Moscow successful aboriginal 2021 erstwhile helium was caught successful a diplomatic ambush and failed to propulsion backmost against Russia's overseas minister, Sergei Lavrov.

But arsenic Moscow's battle connected Ukraine played out, helium proved a accelerated learner, said Gabrielius Landsbergis, overseas curate of Lithuania, 1 of the Baltic states wary of adjacent Russia.

"We witnessed a translation from Russia-threat agnostic into Russia hawk — who could precise good travel from the Baltics," helium told AFP.

'All things pass'

On Borrell’s last travel to Ukraine, helium held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visited a drone factory, and headed to a antiaircraft presumption adjacent Russia's border.

"It generates a batch of adrenaline," helium said, to explicate however helium has kept up with the pace.

Despite the value connected his shoulders, helium said determination person been moments of joy.

He pointed to the lukewarm invited helium received connected his last Ukraine visit, appreciation from immoderate Palestinians and being capable to assistance repatriate hundreds of thousands of Europeans during the pandemic.

As helium leaves the stage, the planetary concern looks perilous, with a caller U.S. medication heralding challenges for Europe, Russia advancing successful Ukraine and warfare raging successful the Middle East.

Borrell is to beryllium replaced successful the occupation by erstwhile Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, 47, who is expected to bring a much tightly controlled style.

"She volition execute precise well, and she volition beryllium precise happy, and she volition endure little than me," helium said. "I privation her the best."