On the sidelines of the meeting, he will hold bilateral talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and other EU Ministers

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is in Brussels today to take part in the meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council.

The agenda includes a discussion on the escalation in the Middle East and its economic consequences, with a focus on the partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the measures adopted internationally to release oil reserves. A session on Ukraine is also scheduled, with the remote participation of Foreign Minister Sybiha, and a focus on the effects of the war in the Middle East on the Ukrainian issue, also in view of Ukraine’s possible contribution to the defence of the Gulf countries. A meeting on EU-India relations will also be held, with the participation of Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar, with particular attention to the sectors of security, defence, and energy, also in light of the effects of the Middle East crisis.

While recalling the attacks in Erbil that killed a French soldier and damaged the Italian base, also endangering the safety of Italian soldiers, Minister Tajani will report on the contacts he has had with the Gulf countries and other regional partners to promote de-escalation, with the aim of reaching a ceasefire and resuming dialogue using all the tools available to the European Union.

He will also focus on the severe humanitarian situation in Lebanon, for which Italy has announced new emergency aid of €10 million, and on the need to maintain high levels of attention in Gaza to preserve the truce and ensure adequate aid flows.

With specific reference to Ukraine, Minister will emphasize his hope that new negotiations will be rescheduled soon, with strong Euro-Atlantic coordination, as recently demonstrated in the Geneva talks.

At the meeting with Minister Jaishankar, Tajani will emphasize the importance, at this stage, of strengthening EU-India relations in the security and defence sector, including maritime security, and of leveraging the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement. The Foreign Minister will also emphasize that the Gulf crisis confirms the importance of diversifying trade routes and the strategic relevance of the IMEC corridor, to which a political and economic initiative will be dedicated in Trieste on Tuesday.

On the sidelines of the meeting, he will hold bilateral talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and other EU Ministers.