The EU’s foreign affairs ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday 13 November for a Council meeting which is expected to focus once again on the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the latest developments concerning Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Middle East. The ministers will discuss the situation in the Middle East, in particular on humanitarian support in Gaza, as Israel agreed, on Thursday 9 November, to a four-hour daily humanitarian pause in military operations to allow humanitarian aid to reach the civilians.
On Friday 10 November, the European Commission announced six new flights over the next few days as part of the humanitarian airlift organised by the EU (see other news). The ministers could discuss the Cypriot proposal for a sea bridge, but this would require a certain amount of logistic, as Gaza’s ports have been destroyed.
The EU Council is expected to address as well the risks of contagion in the region, in particular the situation in the West Bank, with the increase in acts of violence by settlers (see EUROPE 13284/1) and following the death of 14 Palestinians in Jenin during an incursion by the Israeli army.
The ministers could also discuss the ‘day after’ and the two-state solution. In a speech to EU ambassadors on Monday 6 November, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, set out her ideas on the subject (see EUROPE 13286/1). According to a senior European official, the ministers will be looking at what can be done and with whom it can be discussed.
Ukraine. The ministers will hold talks by videoconference with their Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba. They will once again be discussing support for Ukraine as winter approaches. The support will also be debated by the European defence ministers at their EU Council meeting on Tuesday (see other news).
While the 12th sanctions package was initially due to be presented this week, according to a European diplomat, the presentation could wait until the G7 agreement on diamonds has been reached. A G7 delegation is expected in Belgium early next week for a technical visit on the proposal for the implementation of sanctions.
According to a senior European diplomat, the new package would tackle in particular the circumvention of sanctions already adopted. “We already have sanctions undermining Vladimir Putin. It is now time for real implementation”, this diplomat explained, adding that the EU was working on controlling the exports of companies involved in circumventing the measures. Chinese companies could be targeted.
The ministers may also discuss the unhindered export of Ukrainian grains, President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan following the Malta meeting, and accountability.
Caucasus. Over lunch, the EU Council will address the situation in the Caucasus. The discussion, scheduled for the October session, did not take place due to lack of time.
According to a senior EU official, the ministers are expected to discuss the ongoing mediation efforts of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, the agreement that could emerge from them and the support to be given to Armenia. This support could be humanitarian, but also political, economic and military, notably through the strengthening of the EU’s CSDP mission, EUMA, and measures within the ‘European Peace Facility’.
Economic security. Finally, the ministers will discuss the foreign policy dimension of economic security. The discussion was originally scheduled for July, but was postponed due to current events (see EUROPE 13263/2).
Western Balkans. After the working session of the ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council, the foreign ministers will take part in a meeting with their counterparts from the six countries of the Western Balkans. The meeting will focus on ways to intensify the EU’s political and strategic engagement with the Western Balkan states, and to address the issue of the participation of the countries of the region in the high-level events and regular dialogues organised under the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
The meeting comes as the European Commission presented its enlargement package on Wednesday 8 November, in which it highlights the slow progress of the Balkan countries towards EU membership. A €6 billion growth plan, designed to help the six countries in the region make progress on the necessary reforms and become better integrated into the Single Market, was also adopted by the European Commission on this occasion (see EUROPE 13288/2). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with Thomas Mangin)