Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, held a meeting via video conference today. The leaders welcomed the G20 Action Plan adopted by the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors to support the global economy during and after the pandemic and agreed to continue coordinating their responses. The leaders acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every country of the world, leading to immense human suffering, putting enormous strains on healthcare and welfare systems, as well as badly hitting economies and putting jobs at risk. They expressed their strong commitment to overcoming this challenge by working together with partners globally and in solidarity, including in the G20 and the United Nations system. The Leaders explored further areas of cooperation within the Strategic Partnership and looked forward to holding a Summit Meeting in Seoul in the near future when conditions will allow. The EU commended the Republic of Korea's proactive and innovative steps to prevent and tackle COVID-19 in a transparent, open and democratic way. The leaders stressed the importance of strengthened response capacities and enhanced information sharing. The EU and the Republic of Korea will seek to strengthen cooperation in this regard, involving the respective health authorities and centers for disease control. The leaders reconfirmed their support to the World Health Organization, acknowledging the role it plays in coordinating the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. They welcomed the recently adopted resolution at the 73rd World Health Assembly, which requests the Director General of the WHO to initiate, at the earliest appropriate moment, a stepwise process of impartial, independent and comprehensive evaluation to review experience gained and lessons learnt from the WHO-coordinated international health response to COVID-19. The leaders confirmed their resolve to assist developing countries, including in Africa, in facing the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The leaders are determined to restore robust economic growth and build more resilient, sustainable and inclusive economies and societies. Green transition and digital transformation will be integrated into their recovery strategies. They reiterated their goal to keep markets and the trading system open, to work to resolve disruptions to global supply chains and to realize a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, which is critical to support the global economic recovery. In this regard, they welcomed the "G20 Actions to Support World Trade and Investment in Response to COVID-19" endorsed by the G20 Trade and Investment Ministers. They emphasized that emergency measures aimed at protecting health should be targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary in order to avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade. The leaders reaffirmed their intention to consult and coordinate to help advance international peace and stability, based on the obligations and commitments under international law. They discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula. The leaders also exchanged views on the Iran nuclear deal and the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
