We have been following with great concern recent developments in Northern Ethiopia that have included military confrontations and clashes. Immediate de-escalation is imperative to prevent a renewed conflict that would have serious consequences for civilians and regional stability. The November 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement needs to be upheld as the framework for resolving disputes ...
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The European Union welcomes the agreement reached today between the Syrian transitional authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces. We call on all parties to implement it in a spirit of good faith and compromise. A full cessation of hostilities is needed to enable the provision of humanitarian aid, the protection of civilians and the return of internally displaced persons. Stability of ...
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The European Union follows with concern the escalating security situation in South Sudan especially in Jonglei State and calls on all parties to return to the terms of the 2018 peace agreement. An immediate ceasefire is the only guarantee for peace and stability in South Sudan. We strongly condemn any inflammatory rhetoric calling for violence against civilians. We will work with the internatio...
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Mr Bourita, dear Nasser, it is really a pleasure to welcome you here in Brussels. The EU relationship with Morocco is important and necessary. Morocco is one of the closest neighbors, and our cooperation has been steadily advancing over the years, including recently under the Pact for the Mediterranean. Today's meeting is firstly about areas where we want to do more together, from judicia...
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Good afternoon. We just concluded a very productive meeting of Foreign Ministers. I will start with the outlook for 2026. The past weeks have made abundantly clear that the world order is shifting. Unpredictability is no longer an exception - it was the word that defined 2025 and it is also the word that will define 2026. Russia poses a major threat. China is a long-term challenge. The Middl...
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Good morning, everybody. Today we have a very packed agenda. First, we start with the global outlook for 2026. We see the international rules-based order under very much strain. We also see transatlantic ties not being the same that they were, and still we have threats, like Russia's war going on in Ukraine. We have instability in the Middle East. There is a lot to discuss. Then, we talk ...
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It is a great honour to be here in Hanoi and thank you, dear President, for your warm welcome. Let me start by congratulating you for a successful 14th National Party Congress earlier this week. The European Union is committed to strengthening and deepening our partnership, building on mutual respect and shared goals. For 35 years, our partnership has grown in depth and ambition. And today, we ...
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In the context of the official visit of the President of the European Council António Costa to Viet Nam, the EU and Viet Nam agreed on a joint statement on upgrading their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Joint statement EU-Viet Nam      
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On 20 January 2026, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) issued a report that found Syrian Arab Air Force responsible for a chemical weapons attack in Kafr Zeita, Syrian Arab Republic on 1 October 2016. The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a military helicopter released a cylinder which contained chlorine gas, injuring 35 named individua...
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The Holocaust stands as the darkest chapter in human history. Today we honour the memory of the six million Jews, Roma and Sinti, and countless others who were systematically and senselessly murdered by the Nazi regime. They were killed for who they were, because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion or beliefs. Eighty-one years after the end of the Second World War, we are witnessing the h...
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