Brussels 17.03.2025 Today takes place the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers Council. The top EU diplomats will discuss “Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”, after an informal exchange of views with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha, via videoconference.

Ahead of the meeting the EU High Representative Kaja Kallas made the following remarks for the press:

“So first, of course, we are going to discuss Ukraine, and we really welcome the Jeddah talks and then the results of it. Now we need to really see that the ball is in Russia’s court and what kind of conditions they are presenting, which is [a] big question whether they want peace.

“Then of course, we are going to discuss Middle East and the developments in Gaza. We welcome the Arab reconstruction plan – Gaza reconstruction plan – and try to help as much as we can.

“And then on Syria, the violence outbreak is very worrying, and it shows that the hope in Syria is really hanging by a thread. This shows that we need to do more in order to really show that Syria is going [in] the right direction.

“We need to work with our regional partners when it comes to Syria. And we also have today the Syria conference where we also discuss what can we do that Syria will be stable and peaceful”.

Today in Brussels I asked ⁦@kajakallas⁩ if the EU should continue lifting sanctions on Syria despite recent killings – her answer was a strong yes.

‘We need to continue with the lifting of sanctions because if there is hope for the people, then there is also less chaos.’ pic.twitter.com/YTBj62K3Wj

— Sunniva Rose (@Sunniva_Rose) March 17, 2025

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Kallas also expressed her opinion about the conditions of Russia’s ceasefire:
“Those conditions that they have presented it shows that they do not really want peace, actually. Because what they are presenting as conditions all their ultimate goals that they want to achieve from the war”.

The European Union's foreign policy chief says the conditions presented by Russia to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine show Moscow doesn't really want peace.

Kaja Kallas spoke to reporters earlier ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers: pic.twitter.com/pbKhLO9gc7

— DW Europe (@dw_europe) March 17, 2025

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The Council will exchange views on the latest developments in Syria.
The Council will discuss the latest developments in the Middle East, with a focus on Gaza/Palestine. Further on agenda there will be a discussion on Iran.
The Council will aslo hold an exchange of views on relations between the EU and the United States of America.