Xavier Bettel Discusses Ukraine & Middle East Conflicts at EU Foreign Affairs Council, Meets British Foreign Secretary

Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, participated in the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), which took place on Monday 14 October 2024 in Luxembourg-Kirchberg.

The agenda included the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as an informal discussion on strengthening cooperation with the United Kingdom in the field of security and defence.

After being briefed by the new Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, on the latest developments on the ground, the European ministers discussed the EU's continued support for Ukraine. Faced with the delicate energy situation in Ukraine, particularly with winter approaching and with the lack of an air and anti-missile defence system, Minister Bettel stressed the importance of increasing efforts to help Ukraine avoid a worsening of the humanitarian situation.

Concerning the situation in the Middle East, Minister Bettel called on all actors to cease hostilities and pave the way for peace. "This vicious circle of violence must end. If we fail to put an end to it, we risk seeing the entire Middle East erupt in a war that will have no winner," he noted.

The minister reaffirmed Luxembourg's unwavering support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which is the only organisation on the ground in Gaza and also in the West Bank and neighbouring countries, that can support the Palestinian population on a humanitarian level and manage schools and healthcare. Bills in the Knesset (Israel's House of Representatives) to prohibit UNRWA from carrying out its mandate are of great concern in this context.

The olive harvest is about to begin in the West Bank. This harvest provides income to tens of thousands of Palestinian families but has become a dangerous and restricted activity for farmers due to Israeli settler violence and Israeli restrictions on movement. Minister Bettel called on the Israeli authorities to facilitate continued and unhindered access for Palestinian farmers to their land and trees.

Minister Bettel also expressed grave concern about the recent escalation along the Blue Line on the border between Lebanon and Israel. He added that Luxembourg condemns any attack on UN missions, and is particularly concerned about the attacks by the Israeli army on the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which have left several peacekeepers injured. He stated that these attacks on UN peacekeepers are a serious violation of international law, are totally unacceptable and must stop immediately.

The latest developments in Georgia, Moldova, Sudan and Venezuela were also discussed.

On the sidelines of the FAC, Minister Bettel held a bilateral meeting with his UK counterpart, David Lammy, to take stock of bilateral relations and key issues of common interest. Minister Bettel welcomed the new UK government's commitment to resetting relations with the European Union. In a context marked by multiple crises, the two ministers stressed the need to work even more together to address these many challenges, by promoting a rules-based international order.

Minister Bettel also held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu. In the framework of the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council meeting, being held in Luxembourg, the bilateral meeting provided an opportunity to discuss Kazakhstan's relations with Luxembourg and the EU.