EU Foreign Affairs Council -Main results 15 December 2025
Foreign Affairs Council
Foreign Affairs Council, 15
December 2025
Main results
Situation in the Middle East
The Foreign Affairs Council exchanged views on the situation in
the Middle East, starting with the EU's contribution to the security
and stabilisation of Gaza.
Our two missions on the ground can scale up operations: one is assisting border crossings and the other one is supporting the Palestinian police. Both can make valuable contributions to the peace plan and the international stabilisation force, but we need approval from the Israeli side.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the Foreign Affairs Council
In this context, ministers focused on the EU CSDP missions, EUBAM Rafah and EUPOL COPPS, the reform of the Palestinian authority, humanitarian aid and reconstruction, on which several ministers agreed that the EU should have a greater say.
The Council then discussed the situation in Syria, one year after the fall of Assad's regime. The discussion focused on the state of Syria's transition and how the EU could better support governance, security sector reform and trade.
Assad's regime fell one year ago, and Syria still faces enormous challenges. Sectorial violence, lack of inclusivity, lack of proper institutions, rule of law, these are problems that are still there. […] Let me remind you that the EU was the first to lift sanctions to help the country to rebuild. But lifting sanctions alone does not bring economic prosperity. Investors need to trust the legal system; investors need to be sure that the situation is stable and will not get out of hand.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the Foreign Affairs Council
Ministers discussed the need to adapt the EU’s sanctions regime as the situation evolves, and to move forward with a new EU-Syria political partnership.
Lastly, the Council touched on the situation in Lebanon ahead of the EU-Lebanon Association Council.
Over a working lunch, the Foreign Affairs Council exchanged view on EU-China bilateral relations, including on geoeconomic relations and geopolitical issues.
China is increasingly weaponising economic ties for political gains. We recently released our joint economic security strategy with the Commission and plan to diversify our supply of critical minerals. Today, ministers discussed how we can better deploy our trade arsenal to strengthen Europe's resilience. No European country can match China on its own. Unity is the strength here.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the Foreign Affairs Council
The Foreign Affairs Council discussed the Russian aggression against Ukraine, after a VTC intervention of the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, who provided an overview of the situation on the ground, including the current diplomatic deliberations, and Ukraine’s most urgent priorities.
Our priorities are twofold: Putting more pressure on Moscow and generating more support for Kiev. Europe is providing Ukraine with a record €27 billion of military support this year and we have also met our pledge of providing 2 million rounds of artillery shells. But it is also clear that it's no time to slow down. We have to do more to strengthen Ukraine's defence and its hand in negotiations while Russia keeps rejecting peace.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the Foreign Affairs Council
The ensuing EU27 discussion focused first on EU security guarantees for Ukraine. Ministers exchanged views on the objective of putting Ukraine in a position of strength in the ongoing diplomatic negotiations.
Ministers were clear that any peace deal must include strong security guarantees. As Ukraine has been pressured into giving up a NATO membership, this will be the only safeguard capable of stopping Russia from reinvading. The EU will do its part, including with training and defence industry support.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and President of the Foreign Affairs Council
Ministers also touched on the issue of financing for Ukraine in 2026-2027, ahead of the upcoming discussion at the December European Council.
Furthermore, the ministerial discussion focused on ways to intensify pressure on Russia, in particular through measures aimed at disrupting the shadow fleet and those enabling its operations. In this context, the Council adopted restrictive measures against nine enablers of the shadow fleet.
Ministers shared the opinion that targeting Russia's shadow fleet should remain a EU key priority and that work on imposing further restrictive measures against both the shadow fleet and its enablers should continue on a regular basis.
Lastly, the Council imposed additional restrictive measures targeting 12 individuals and 2 entities in light of Russia’s continued hybrid activities, including Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) against the EU and its member states and partners, and widened the scope of sanctions against Belarus in light of the recent airspace violations in Lithuania and other member states affected by Belarus' hybrid activities.
The Council adopted a declaration of the European Union and its member states on making full use of the international law of the sea framework relating to threats from the 'shadow fleet' and to the protection of critical undersea infrastructure.
Under current affairs, the High Representative informed foreign ministers on the escalation of violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the situation in the Great Lakes region.
Under any other business, Cyprus briefed the Council on Cyprus’ candidature for the OSCE chairmanship. Slovenia raised the recent meeting with West African states in the margins of the EU-AU summit, which Slovenia chaired on behalf of the High Representative, and Austria informed ministers about the recent meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans in Vienna
The Council adopted further sanctions against 3 people and 1 entity responsible for gang violence in Haiti.
No comments:
Post a Comment