EU High Representative Federica Mogherini said stability, security and peace in the Middle East was in the European interest and urged Israeli and Palestinian leadership to make rapid progress on a two state solution.

“Count on the European Union to build this new start. It’s also in the European interests to have stability and security and peace in this part of the region, and we are convinced that European Union can have a major role in supporting a solution,” Mogherini said at a press conference during her visit to the Middle East this weekend.

Mogherini met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.

Before leaving for Jordan, she stressed the need to make rapid progress on a two state solution. This first visit of Federica Mogherini as High Representative/Vice president to the region is a signal of the priority given to the Middle East by the EU and the High Representative’s determination to play a role in the stabilization, reconstruction and revival of the peace process.

During her first week in office, Mogherini spoke to several EU Foreign Ministers over the phone and also had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State, John Kerry. She held several high level meetings in Brussels, including with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, and travelled to Poland and the Middle East.

Mogherini and Kerry discussed the most important developments around the world ­ from the conflict in the Middle East, to the situation in Libya and Ukraine. They also exchanged views on how to tackle the Ebola outbreak.

They agreed to meet in person very soon and reaffirmed the strong relations between the EU and the US and their determination to cooperate even more closely in the future.

Mogherini then travelled to Warsaw for her first diplomatic visit in a Member State to hold talks with the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski as well as the Polish Foreign and Defence Ministers.

Speaking in Warsaw, Mogherini said the “so­called” elections in eastern Ukraine “were a very negative sign,” and that “the issues of sanctions is always on the table”.