Following the successful G7 and NATO Summits in Évian and Ankara, support for Ukraine is also an important priority at the final meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council prior to the summer recess. At the start of the meeting in Brussels today, the focus will be on the humanitarian impacts of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the situation of civilian prisoners. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and two representatives from NGOs have travelled from Kyiv to attend this first meeting.

Ukraine: Stepping up aid and prosecuting Russian crimes

Following the latest attacks by Russia on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, today’s discussions held by the EU Foreign Ministers will focus primarily on further strengthening support for Ukraine – both militarily and, with regard to energy infrastructure, in preparing for the coming winter.

Germany is committed to building on the important momentum of recent weeks and further expanding Europe’s support. Additional contributions to strengthening Ukraine’s air defences, to increasing military support and to safeguarding energy supplies are particularly important priorities.

Russia’s numerous violations of international humanitarian law must not become the norm. Attacks on humanitarian aid workers and civilian infrastructure must be investigated and brought to justice. With this in mind, Germany supports the international investigation into Russia’s crimes and is contributing two million euro this year to support the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

Germany is also advancing work on a special tribunal to prosecute Russia’s war of aggression, as well as on an international compensation mechanism.

In addition to supporting Ukraine, the EU Foreign Ministers will discuss further steps with regard to turning up the pressure on Russia. Germany continues to be committed to the adoption of the 21^st sanctions package, which focuses on the financial sector in particular and is intended to make it even more difficult to circumvent existing sanctions.

The Black Sea: Strengthening the security of a politically important region

One year after the adoption of the EU’s Black Sea Strategy, its implementation is on the Foreign Affairs Council’s agenda. The security of the Black Sea region is of key importance to Europe. The ongoing threat posed by Russia affects not only Ukraine, but also the littoral states of Bulgaria and Romania – the latter recently having been the target of a Russian drone attack – as well as the stability of the entire region.

Germany therefore supports enhanced European cooperation on maritime security and is committed to improving shared situational awareness in the region. The involvement of Turkey, as a key littoral state, also continues to be crucial in this regard.

The Gulf region: Harnessing new momentum to promote regional security

Following discussions on security in the Black Sea, the Foreign Affairs Council will be adjourned for the third EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation. Representatives from the Gulf states and the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council will be in attendance. In light of Iran’s repeated attacks on countries in the region in recent days and weeks, the focus will be on the security situation in the region, the future of the security architecture in the Gulf and further rapprochement between the EU and the Gulf states.

Germany is committed to harnessing the momentum built up over recent months to further expand cooperation with the Gulf states. The planned EU-GCC summit in the autumn offers an important opportunity to this end.

Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz continues to be a key issue. Its free, safe and unrestricted use is indispensable for the global economy and energy supply. Germany rejects any restrictions to international freedom of navigation and is liaising closely with its partners in the region.

The Middle East: Preventing escalation and strengthening political solutions

The Foreign Affairs Council will then hold discussions about the situation in the Middle East in the afternoon. The primary focus here is the security situation in Iran and in the Strait of Hormuz, and also the European Union’s role in the region. Germany is committed to using European instruments, including sanctions, with a view to counteracting further destabilisation of the region and to supporting positive developments – such as the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon.

The situation in Israel and the Palestinian territories is likewise on the agenda. For Germany, it is clear that long-term security and peace can only be achieved via a political resolution. This includes a solution that enables Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. Increasing settler violence and settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and how to address these issues, are therefore increasingly at the forefront of the Foreign Affairs Council’s discussions.