EU should play more active role in settling conflict in eastern Ukraine - Belgian FM

The U.S. policy of reducing security presence abroad is an opportunity for the European Union to demonstrate its more active role in solving security and defense issues, in particular, in settling the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, who also serves as the country's defense minister, said this at a meeting with journalists on Wednesday, January 9.

"This [U.S. policy] will be a good moment for the European Union to play a more prominent role. We have to strengthen cooperation with NATO and create a real, stronger European base within NATO itself and then take greater responsibility in various conflict zones around Europe because we have a conflict in Ukraine, in the eastern part, but we also have conflicts in Syria and Iraq in the south. This is a real challenge," the Belgian official said.