The Ministers for Foreign Affairs will meet on Monday 24 April in Luxembourg to discuss, among other things, the situation in Ukraine, support for Moldova, new sanctions against Iran, and the situation in Sudan.
Ukraine. After a traditional video address by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the Ministers will first discuss military assistance to Ukraine.
On Thursday 20 April, Mr Kuleba described the “inability of the EU to implement its own decision on the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine” as “frustrating”. Member States are still discussing the modalities for implementing these joint procurements, which will benefit from €1 billion from the ‘European Peace Facility’.
“Acquisitions must come from European industry, but what exactly do we mean by European industry?”, explained a diplomat. In his view, for example, can the fact that a company in Europe having elements in its supply chain that do not come from Europe be considered European industry? The ‘European Peace Facility’ excludes recourse to States that would undermine the security and defence interests of the Union and its Member States.
France, which will be supported by Greece and Cyprus, is not satisfied with the proposed text, believing that the European industry should be limited to companies based in the EU or Norway. According to an EU source, the French explain that they are not blocking, but want the legal agreement to faithfully reflect the political decision of March.
For other Member States, the priority is to move quickly, as the main objective is to help Ukraine and the rest is secondary. Some Member States are concerned that European industry would not be able to supply the necessary equipment in time. Contracts must be in place by 30 September 2023, with repayment starting in 2024.
While discussions continue on the ‘track 2’ of ammunition supply, ‘track 1’, i.e. the de-stocking of ammunition from Member States, is progressing well. On Friday 21 April, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, announced that Member States had already requested more than €600 million in reimbursements – €664, according to a senior European official – from the €1 billion dedicated to the ‘European Peace Facility’.
The Commission is expected to make its proposal on strengthening European industry in late April or early May.
In addition, on the eve of the Ramstein meeting on Friday 21 April, the Netherlands and Denmark had announced the joint delivery of 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
As ‘confessional’ meetings to prepare the next sanctions package began on Friday 21 April, Ministers may discuss the next steps, which diplomats say should focus on combating circumvention of measures already taken and ensuring proper implementation of sanctions. New persons and entities should be added.
The EU Council should also discuss the geopolitical consequences of the war. The Ministers will discuss the implementation of the action plan on the geopolitical consequences of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which was first discussed in the Foreign Affairs Council in June 2022. Beyond the battle of the narrative, a senior official explained that the EU must tackle the battle of the supply side.
Accountability, including the issue of the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, as well as the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, could also be addressed.
Georgia. The Ministers will have lunch with their Georgian counterpart, Ilia Darchiashvili. The aim of the meeting is both to highlight European concerns about recent developments in the country – notably the proposed law on foreign agents, which has since been rejected by the European Parliament – and the health situation of the former President, and to encourage the country to make progress on the Commission’s 12 recommendations on Georgia’s European perspective (see EUROPE 13141/20).
Current affairs. Many items will be discussed under Current Affairs.
Moldova. The EU Council will strengthen the EU’s support to Moldova. It should therefore establish a civilian mission to assist the authorities in building the resilience of the security sector (see EUROPE 13154/13).
Ministers should also endorse the establishment of a sanctions regime against those who support or implement actions or policies that undermine or threaten democracy, the Rule of law, stability or security in Moldova (see EUROPE 13165/3). This regime could be adopted in the following days.
The EU is also expected to adopt on 4 May, according to an EU source, new support for Moldova under the ‘European Peace Facility’, notably for an air surveillance radar.
Sudan. Josep Borrell will review with the Ministers the extremely worrying situation in Sudan, where fighting is intensifying between the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which has already resulted in 350 deaths.
For the EU, the urgency is to secure an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian purposes as a first step towards the urgent negotiation of a permanent ceasefire with the help of ongoing coordinated regional and international mediation efforts (see EUROPE 13166/22).
“The EU is following the situation very closely. The High Representative will inform Ministers of his contacts with all parties. We support all mediation initiatives, in particular the Kenyan one”, a senior European official said on Friday.
“There have often been tensions, but this is the first time in history that instability has come to the capital”, he added. Beyond the risks to internal stability, “the whole stability of Africa is at risk. We need a commitment to stability from everyone, especially from Africans”.
A European diplomat stressed the “great concern for the protection of civilians and foreign nationals, including diplomats”. According to this source, “the messages, in coordination with the international community, are very clear: a ceasefire and a humanitarian truce to stabilise the situation. On Monday, we will see where we stand so as to decide what messages to send to the different parties and what actions we could take”.
The issue of evacuations of EU nationals could be addressed.
Iran. Ministers will adopt a seventh package of sanctions against Iran for human rights violations. Several individuals and one entity should be subject to action.
Tunisia. The EU Council could address the situation in Tunisia, whether in political, economic or migration terms. At the last EU Council, the High Representative had instructed the Belgian and Portuguese Ministers to visit the country, in particular to reiterate the importance of an agreement with the IMF, to make the necessary reforms and to improve the economic and social situation (see EUROPE 13146/27).
Lebanon. The heads of EU diplomacy will discuss the situation in Lebanon, where elections for a new President – the mandate of the previous one ended in October – have still not taken place, a Prime Minister has not been appointed, reforms are not progressing, preventing an agreement with the IMF, and the socio-economic situation has worsened further.
Near East. The EU Council is expected to discuss the violence in the Near East in recent weeks (see EUROPE 13159/17). Some Ministers may push for a stronger EU role.
Syria. The EU Council could also adopt new sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations in Syria and the diversion of humanitarian aid to the population.
China. The Ministers could take stock on China, a few days after the visit of several European leaders, including the President of the European Commission, and ahead of a more substantial discussion scheduled for the ‘Gymnich’ on 12 May.
Ethiopia. The EU Council will adopt without debate conclusions setting out the EU’s expectations following the peace agreement signed in December, which it welcomed (see EUROPE 13090/23). These conclusions should provide a perspective for the normalisation of relations with this strategic partner and emphasise the importance of stability in the whole of the Horn of Africa.
Council of Europe. In addition, ahead of the EU Council, the Ministers will have breakfast with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, concerning the Council of Europe Summit, which is scheduled to take place in Iceland in mid-May. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant and Aminata Niang)