Minister Bettel Urges Action on EU Trade With Illegal Israeli Settlements

On Monday 13 July 2026, Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, took part in the meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), in Brussels, Belgium.

According to the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, the discussion on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine began with an in-person briefing by Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha.

In his intervention, Minister Bettel addressed the issue of Russian athletes participating in sporting competitions under the Russian flag. He stressed that Russia has shown no sign of willingness to end its war of aggression. He therefore considers that a decision allowing Russian athletes to once again participate in international sporting competitions under their national flag sends a difficult-to-understand signal. He also highlighted the importance of the EU adopting a common position on this matter.

During the item dedicated to the Black Sea, an intervention on behalf of the Benelux was delivered by the Netherlands, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Benelux Committee of Ministers. The intervention highlighted the strategic importance of the Black Sea, particularly by emphasising the need to ensure that it remains open to maritime navigation and that energy and maritime infrastructure remain protected.

The FAC continued with the item dedicated to the Middle East during which ministers discussed the situation in Iran, Israel and Palestine, as well as the situation in Lebanon.

The ministry reported that regarding the situation in Iran, Minister Bettel recalled the importance of all actors involved in the conflict respecting international law.

With regard to the situation in Lebanon, Xavier Bettel stressed that the memorandum of understanding remains fragile and expressed concern about any action likely to reignite the conflict.

Regarding Israel and Palestine, Minister Bettel addressed the severe humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, which continues to deteriorate despite the Gaza peace plan. Concerning the West Bank, he stressed that Israel’s settlement policy is contributing to the worsening humanitarian situation.

Moreover, regarding the options paper on EU trade with Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law, the Deputy Prime Minister stressed that he supports a ban on trade with these settlements. For the Minister, this is a matter relating to EU trade policy and should therefore be subject to a qualified majority vote. In addition, Minister Bettel stressed that the Commission should present a concrete proposal on which Member States could vote. In order to avoid further delays on this matter, the vote should be organised as soon as possible.