(L-R) Josep Borrell, former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy / European Commission Vice-President; Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister; Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner;
Credit: Alexandros Michailidis
On Monday 24 February 2025, Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, participated in the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) held in Brussels, Belgium.
As reported by Luxembourg's Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, the agenda included "in-depth discussions" on the latest developments in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ahead of the FAC, an informal dinner on the situation in the Middle East and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) took place in the presence of UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, with the online participation of the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, Sigrid Kaag.
The discussion on Russian aggression against Ukraine began with a minute of silence to mark the third anniversary of the start of the war - this FAC took place exactly three years after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The EU Foreign Ministers adopted the sixteenth package of sanctions against Russia on Monday. In his speech, Minister Bettel insisted on the principle of "no agreement on Ukraine without Ukraine". He stressed that the aggressor in this war is Russia and expressed outrage at attempts to rewrite the history of the conflict. He called on Europeans to remain united and continue their support for Ukraine.
Regarding the Middle East, the ministers discussed Syria, Lebanon and the situation between Israel and Palestine. On Syria, Minister Bettel expressed support for the proposed step-by-step approach, noting that the authorities in Damascus must make progress before the EU increases its engagement beyond the decisions taken by the Council on Monday, which suspended a number of sanctions to allow a restart of the Syrian economy.
On Israel and Palestine, Minister Bettel called for unity in messages to the Israeli government, in particular on the essential role that UNRWA plays in providing health and education services as well as humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population. He also stressed the importance of moving towards lasting peace in the Middle East through the implementation of the two-state solution. He referred to the need to act in a united manner on the problem of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.
On Lebanon, Minister Bettel said the Israeli army will have to withdraw from the country at some point and the EU must maintain a common position on this.
Concerning Georgia, he deplored that the country is not moving in the right direction and that the government has turned its back on the European integration process. In his capacity as President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Minister Bettel recalled that the Georgian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) had decided to leave PACE at the recent session of the Assembly at the end of January 2025.
Moreover, the ministers had a discussion on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They recalled that the EU is deeply concerned by the continued escalation of the conflict in eastern DRC, aggravated by the M23 offensive. The current situation in eastern DRC is very difficult and all actors involved must redouble their efforts to address it. African mediation efforts seem, at this stage, the most promising to work towards a resolution of the conflict, and Minister Bettel supported these mediation efforts. The Council retained sanctions against the leaders of the M23 group. Luxembourg's Foreign Ministry added that the EU is preparing new restrictive measures in response to the situation in eastern DRC against Rwanda. Minister Bettel suggested waiting for the results of this week's African mediation efforts before implementing the measures to avoid the parties disengaging from these talks before they even take place.
Following the FAC, Minister Bettel participated in the EU-Israel Association Council, which was an opportunity for the EU to hold a "frank" dialogue with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, based on the values and principles on which the Association Agreement is founded and which are enshrined in its Article 2. The ministers "strongly encouraged" Israel to commit to a continuation of the ceasefire agreement, to allow the release of all hostages. Minister Bettel reiterated Luxembourg's full support for the implementation of the two-state solution, the only path to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians. He also recalled that the work of UNRWA is essential until this solution is implemented and confirmed Luxembourg's support for the UN Agency. He noted that UNRWA offers opportunities for young Palestinians, particularly through education. The minister expressed disgust at Hamas' "coffin parade" when handing over the bodies of deceased hostages. He also called on Israel not to adopt legislation that would tax civil society organisations that receive their funding from abroad by up to 80%. Moreover, Minister Bettel called for support for the Palestinian Authority, described as a key interlocutor for Israel and the international community in implementing the two-state solution.
