The European Union calls on participants in the war in the Middle East to exercise restraint and to intensify the negotiation process. This was stated by the President of the European Council, António Costa, during his speech at the conference of EU ambassadors on March 10.
This is reported by Finway
EU’s position on the war and support for Ukraine
According to Costa, the European Union expresses support for the people of Iran in their pursuit of peace and self-determination. He emphasized that human rights and freedoms must be ensured, but they cannot be achieved through the use of force or military actions. Costa stressed the need to prevent further escalation of the conflict, which could pose a threat not only to the Middle East but also to Europe and other parts of the world.
“The European Union supports the long-suffering people of Iran. We support their right to live in peace and to determine their future. We believe that their human rights and freedoms must be fully respected. But freedom and human rights cannot be achieved through bombs,” he stated.
Costa noted that currently, the only beneficiary of the escalation in the Middle East is Russia. According to him, it systematically undermines Ukraine’s positions, ignoring international law. Furthermore, Russia is gaining additional resources to finance the war against Ukraine due to rising energy prices, and it benefits from the decreased attention to events on the Ukrainian front as the international community focuses on other conflicts.
New sanctions, credit for Ukraine, and European perspective
The European Union, according to Costa, continues to provide comprehensive support to Ukraine—financially, politically, diplomatically, and in terms of recovery. He expressed confidence that the €90 billion loan, currently blocked by Hungary, will eventually be granted to Kyiv. The official emphasized the need for continued pressure on Russia to achieve a just peace that considers Ukraine’s interests and ensures Europe’s security.
Costa stated that in the coming days, the EU intends to extend the existing sanctions against the Russian Federation and adopt a new package of restrictive measures. He also noted that Ukraine’s application for EU membership has created a new dynamic momentum for the EU’s enlargement process, which also includes Moldova and six Western Balkan countries. In his opinion, the future of these states lies within the EU, and their integration depends on specific achievements and adherence to the high standards of the union.
At the same time, as is known, Slovakia and Hungary are still blocking the approval of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia and the allocation of a multi-billion euro loan to Ukraine. Representatives of these countries insist on maintaining their veto until the transportation of Russian raw materials through the Druzhba pipeline is restored.