Following his accession to the throne, Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg travelled to Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday. On the first day of the visit, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel, the programme included meetings with officials from two EU institutions.
At 2.30pm, the Grand Duke met Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, followed at 6pm by a meeting with António Costa, President of the European Council. According to a press release from the Grand Ducal Court, both meetings focused primarily on current European affairs.
A planned meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, scheduled for Tuesday morning, had to be cancelled due to her agenda and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Between meetings, the Grand Duke met staff from Luxembourg’s Permanent Representation to the EU and Luxembourg nationals working within the EU institutions. At 3.30pm, Bettel and the Grand Duke addressed them, with the Grand Duke emphasising the importance of European values, particularly in today’s context.
He highlighted that his commitment to an inclusive and supportive society reflects Europe’s own values of cooperation and multilateralism. While acknowledging that Europe is facing difficult times that test both international cooperation and the EU itself, the Grand Duke warned that economic interests too often take precedence over shared values.
He stressed the need to reflect on what truly holds society together, arguing that partnerships should not be based solely on interests, and that Europe must not lose sight of the principles that underpin its vision and credibility on the global stage.
Grand Duke Guillaume also thanked Luxembourg nationals working at the Permanent Representation and EU institutions, noting that they play a key role in building bridges and fostering cooperation. He praised their dedication and the quality of their work, adding that although preparations for Luxembourg’s future EU Council Presidency are already under way, it is still too early to wish them success for 2029.
For his part, Bettel called on people not to blame Europe for everything, urging greater political honesty and shared responsibility. He pointed out that EU decisions are taken collectively by ministers, MEPs, and commissioners nominated by national governments, and that these are not distant figures but citizens with a mandate.
Bettel argued that a reluctance to take responsibility for unpopular decisions contributes to some of Europe’s weaknesses, despite the fact that the EU has ensured decades of peace and enabled achievements that would not have been possible otherwise.
The first day of the visit concluded with the meeting with António Costa.
On Wednesday morning, Grand Duke Guillaume and Bettel meets Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, with discussions focusing in particular on international security issues.
