Maltese neutrality not up for discussion, says Ian Borg

Matthew Vella reporting from New York, United Nations

In a week dominated by Malta’s stewardship of the Security Council’s debate on the anniversary of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, foreign minister Ian Borg has laid down an uncompromising line against Russian aggression in his speeches at the United Nations.

Malta put its full weight behind the EU’s position for the full withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine, but also for the Russian leadership to face prosecution in the International Criminal Court for war crimes, as it presided the UN Security Council this week.

Despite its vocal stance, Borg still believes that Malta’s constitutional neutrality is not up for discussion as far as military alliances go, even when countries like neutral Ireland are augmenting participation in PESCO, the EU’s group of Nato and non-Nato member states that discusses defence matters.

“We have embraced our neutrality in an active manner in the case of Ukraine: it means we are not afraid of saying what is right, and what isn’t,” when asked in an interview after presiding over a Security Council session.

But Borg said it was apparent to him that it was te Maltese people’s voice that was the loudest on Malta’s neutrality. “In meetings with neutral countries like Ireland and Austria, who are not part of Nato, we compare notes on the general public’s feeling about neutrality. And I get the feeling that it’s the same story for all of us... I feel the majority of the Maltese country sees itself as being secure through our neutrality.”

The heat from the war in Ukraine, as Borg described it, had now informed the decisions of Finland and Sweden to start Nato membership. “Will that ever happen in Malta? This is a position that is also based on the popular will of the people we represent, and both parties in the House do not believe Malta has to change its position to edge it closer to a military alliance.”

Borg said Malta had clearly recognised that there was one aggressor and one victim in the war, informing the Maltese parliament’s step to host Ukrainian president Volydymyr Zelenskyy.

“Malta’s active participation in every sanctions round, with even financial aid that however does not go for military purposes, is appreciated by the victim of this war. To me that is what is important: that Ukraine knows that we stuck our neck out for them, within the parameters of our constitutional neutrality.”

Borg said Malta was active in consulting actors like the United States when it came to the deflagging of Russian-owned ships from its maritime register, to convince other major registries to also deflag the ships as they transited to a new flag state.

But he also added that Malta has attempted to deflect the deficit of certain sanctions that punish states that follow the rules. “We said that we need a global regime, otherwise all the Malta-deflagged ships would end up moving to Liberia or Panama... we do not want to be placed under undue pressure, and that goes the same for similar players like Greece and Cyprus. And in Brussels, this is well understood and they appreciate our concerns.”

The Netherlands this week also said it wants the EU to move to qualified majority voting – which gives larger states more votes on restricted areas – in the matters of sanctions, human rights, and civilian EU missions, so that the EU can apply uniform economic power against countries – like Russia – that use aggression.

But Borg said it was not just Malta, but a host of other countries that would oppose such a proposal. “In principle we disagree with giving more power to Brussels – that is our position, and of many other countries. QMV would remove the power of Malta to veto a decision that would affect it negatively, allowing the countries with more votes to ride roughshod. But we are not trying to be spoilers... we have shown to be constructive partners.”