Xavier Bettel and Yuriko Backes at the Foreign Affairs Council of the Council of the EU

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, and the Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, took part in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) of the Council of the EU, which was held on 22 April 2024 in Luxembourg.

The first working session of the FAC brought together EU foreign and defence ministers in a joint meeting to discuss political and military support for Ukraine. On this occasion, Minister Bettel and Defence Minister Yuriko Backes had an informal exchange of views via videoconference with the Ukrainian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence.

Minister Bettel reiterated his continued support for Ukraine's right to self-defence at the political, humanitarian, financial and military levels. Minister Bettel welcomed the agreement reached in the US House of Representatives on much-needed aid to Ukraine.

"The war in Ukraine has become a battle of munitions. Our support for Ukraine must match its changing needs, so that it is in a position to respond to Russia's attacks. The EU must strengthen its defence industrial and technological base to meet Ukraine's demand and our own", stressed Minister Yuriko Backes in her speech.

The foreign ministers then focused on the situation in the Middle East, before meeting their counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and taking stock of the situation in Sudan. At the invitation of Minister Bettel, the Benelux countries also held a separate meeting with the ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

Minister Bettel reiterated Luxembourg's condemnation of Iran's attacks on Israel, noting that Iran was becoming increasingly isolated. The Minister stressed that all parties involved must contribute to de-escalation to break the vicious circle of retaliatory attacks. "The war in Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are fuelling hatred, radicalisation and tension in the region. That is why it is essential, on the one hand, to obtain an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and, on the other hand, to find a long-term political solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution," underlined the head of Luxembourg's diplomacy.

Press release by the Directorate of Defense/ the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade