Minister Bettel at NATO Meeting Stresses Need to End Human Suffering in Gaza, Reiterates Support for Ukraine

Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, participated in the NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 December 2024.

As reported by Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry, Minister Bettel attended several working sessions of the North Atlantic Council, which focused on the situation in Ukraine, the major strategic challenges facing NATO and the Alliance's Southern Neighbourhood.

During the session on the Southern Neighbourhood, a meeting organised in the presence of King Abdullah II of Jordan, Minister Bettel addressed the current situation in the Middle East. In his speech, he stressed the responsibility of the international community to find a solution to the conflict between Israel and Hamas and the "absolute necessity" to end the human suffering in the Gaza Strip. He mentioned the refugee crisis in the region, notably the nearly four million refugees hosted by Jordan.

During the working session between Allies, the foreign ministers discussed strategic issues for NATO. Minister Bettel spoke of the role that China could play in ending the conflict in Ukraine. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister also discussed the differences in perceptions regarding Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine within the international community. He stressed the importance for the Allies to preserve their credibility in relation to other conflicts.

Moreover, Minister Bettel participated in an informal working dinner of the NATO-Ukraine Council, which took place in the presence of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and the new EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.

On the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting, Minister Bettel held a bilateral meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha. The former reiterated Luxembourg's "unwavering support" for Ukraine's efforts on the battlefield to achieve a just and lasting peace. Minister Bettel also recalled the conclusions of the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 2023, noting that in the current context there is no consensus among Allies to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join NATO.