Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

EU foreign ministers met informally via video conference Wednesday evening to discuss the latest developments in negotiations aimed at ending Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and achieving a just and lasting peace. According to a European statement issued in Brussels, the discussion took place amid renewed diplomatic momentum, taking into account the intensive high-level consultations on the sidelines of the recent G20 summit, the discussions held in Geneva over the weekend, the outcome of the informal EU meeting, and the Coalition of the Willing at the leaders' level. The video conference opened with remarks from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiyya, who reviewed the latest diplomatic developments and Ukraine's position. The statement quoted Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Council, as saying, "Everyone welcomes the efforts of the United States for peace. We all want this war to end, but how it ends is also important. We must bear in mind that there is one aggressor and one victim." An immediate and unconditional ceasefire must be the first step to ending the war.

During the discussion, EU ministers exchanged views on the Union's position regarding these diplomatic developments and the need to maintain pressure on the Russian regime while increasing military and financial support for Ukraine. In this context, they addressed the issue of compensation loans for Ukraine. The statement concluded with a quote from Kaya Kallas: "Warnings around the world are rarely as clear-cut as they are here. The focus should be on what Russia—the aggressor—must do, not on what Ukraine—the victim—must sacrifice."