EU foreign ministers meet to discuss Ukraine, Russia and worsening crisis in Middle East – Europe live | Europe
Morning opening: What’s Europe’s position?
Jakub Krupa
EU foreign ministers are meeting this morning in Brussels to talk about the bloc’s position on Ukraine and Russia and the worsening crisis in the Middle East.
The foreign affairs council kicks off what some dubbed a “super week” in European – and not only – politics, with the Nato summit in The Hague and the European Council summit later this week.
And there’s plenty to talk about.
Today’s meeting starts with Ukraine, after another night of heavy Russian attacks with 352 drones and 16 missiles reported by the country’s air force, mostly targeting Kyiv. At least six were killed, and over a dozen were injured.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “preliminary reports indicate that ballistic weapons from North Korea were also used.”
“Everyone in countries neighbouring Russia, Iran, and North Korea should be thinking carefully about whether they could protect lives if this coalition of murderers persists and continues spreading their terror,” he warned.
Zelenskyy will be in Britain today for further talks on “new and powerful steps to increase pressure on Russia for this war and to put an end to the strikes.”
The EU ministers will then turn to the Middle East, likely calling for a return to negotiations and the need to avoid further escalation.
A big discussion is also expected on potentially triggering a review of the EU-Israel association agreement, but will they want to do this amid escalating and uncertain situation in the region?
Elsewhere, I will be checking on the latest in the buildup to the Nato summit, and other updates from Germany, Norway, Sweden and Romania among others.
It’s Monday, 23 June 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
Key events
Zelenskyy arrives in Britain for talks with King Charles, PM Starmer, meeting with military personnel
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived to Britain to discuss Ukraine’s defence and how to put additional pressure on Russia, his presidential spokesman said, as reported by Reuters.
Zelenskyy will meet King Charles, prime minister Keir Starmer and the speakers of both Houses of Parliament, the spokesman said.
He added that the president would also talk to Ukrainian military personnel who are being trained in Britain and representatives of think-tanks.
Belgium wants Nato flexibility after Spain’s ‘noisy’ outburst
Belgium said it was seeking “maximum flexibility” from Nato on ramped-up defence spending targets to be agreed at a summit this week after fellow laggard Spain insisted it had won an exception, AFP reported.
Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prevot told local media that while Brussels had to show “willingness to get back in line” after years of underspending, the target was beyond its “budgetary reach”.
“We may not have done so by making a noisy statement like Spain, but I can assure you that for weeks our diplomats have been working hard to obtain the flexibility mechanisms … that could help to lighten the burden of the Belgian effort,” he told RTBF radio. “We’re asking for maximum flexibility”.
But a Nato diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP there was “no opt-out”.
“It is always the case that allies have the sovereign right to determine how they’ll deliver on their commitments,” the diplomat said.
Nato win provides Spain’s Sanchez much-needed win at politically perilous time – snap analysis
Sam Jones
Pedro Sánchez’s success in negotiating an exemption for Spain over Nato’s proposal for member states to increase their defence spending to 5% of their GDP (9:22) provides the embattled PM with a much-needed win at a perilous time.
Faced with an apparently ever-growing list of corruption allegations that threaten his minority coalition government, Sánchez has been able to demonstrate that he still has the clout to defend Spain’s national interest and safeguard its welfare state spending.
The socialist prime minister has been blunt in his appraisal of what the 5% commitment would mean for Spain, saying:
“Going from 2% to 5% by 2035 would require spending an additional €350bn, which could only be achieved by raising taxes for each worker by approximately €3,000 annually; eliminating unemployment, sickness, and maternity benefits; reducing all pensions by 40%; or halving state investment in education.”
Little wonder, then, that he was so keen to trumpet the win during a televised “institutional statement” on Sunday evening. The issue may help reassure his allies in the small, leftwing Sumar alliance that he won’t be dictated to by Nato – or Donald Trump – and that the welfare state will take precedence over defence spending.
Unsurprisingly, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the opposition, conservative People’s party (PP) has hit back over the deal, questioning its true worth. In a post on X last night, Feijóo accused Sánchez of propaganda and of making promises he won’t have to keep.
“Propaganda aside, what Sánchez just said is that he’s going to commit to military spending for the next ten years, without a budget and without going through Congress,” said the PP leader. “In other words, he’s agreed that Spain will pay, but only after he’s gone.”
Sánchez responded with what could be seen as a patronising jibe at Feijóo’s lack of English skills.
In a post in reply, he shared Nato secretary general Mark Rutte’s letter, adding:
“Here we go, Alberto. Get someone to translate it for you. Let’s see if it clears up any doubts.”
Meanwhile in Ukraine, officials say Russian drones and missiles have killed at least 10 civilians in night-time attacks, AP reported.
Drones and missiles hit residential areas, hospitals and sports infrastructure in numerous districts across Kyiv in the early hours of Monday, emergency services said.
The most severe damage was in the Shevchenkivskyi district, where a section of a five-story apartment building collapsed, AP noted.
For more updates on the Israel-Iran war, including US president Donald Trump’s call to “make Iran great again”, you can also follow our live blog here run by Jane Clinton:
EU cites ‘indications’ Israel is breaching human rights obligations over conduct in Gaza
Jennifer Rankin
Let’s stop for a moment on that question of the EU-Israel association agreement, which sees Spain calling for immediate suspension of the deal, while Germany appears to be distancing itself from it.
Here’s a good primer on the issue from our Brussels correspondent Jennifer Rankin.
The EU has said “there are indications” that Israel is in breach of human rights obligations over its conduct in Gaza, but stopped short of calling for immediate sanctions.
“There are indications that Israel would be in breach of its human rights obligations under article 2 of the EU-Israel association agreement,” states a leaked document from the EU’s foreign policy service, seen by the Guardian.
Couched in the typically cautious language of Brussels, the document nevertheless represents a significant moment in Europe’s relations towards a longstanding ally.
The closely guarded paper, which will be presented by the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, to European foreign ministers on Monday, cites assessments by the international court of justice, the office of the high commissioner for human rights, and numerous other UN bodies, while saying that it does not represent “a value judgment” by any EU official.
The finding has been seen as a foregone conclusion since a review of the EU-Israel agreement was put on the agenda last month by 17 EU member states, led by the Netherlands, a traditional ally of Israel.
Iran must negotiate directly with US, German minister says
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said today’s meeting was kicking off “a crucial week for security in Europe and the world,” with talks to be continued at the Nato and the EU summits later this week.
He says European negotiators told Iran last Friday in Geneva that “a real prerequisite for resolving the conflict is that Iran is willing to negotiate directly with the US.”
“Iran says it only wants to negotiate with Europe and we see that as a good sign but we do also say that’s not sufficient. We want to see the United States being involved,” he added.
He added that “Iran must know that the world will not accept that it is nuclear armed.”
More broadly, he added that ministers “will discuss the further situation in the Middle East,” saying in particular that “the Gaza Strip is still an issue that must be discussed [as] the humanitarian situation is still unacceptable.”
But he added that Germany “does not believe that the EU’s association agreement with Israel should be suspended,” as the bloc “needs good relations with Israel.”
Escalation in Middle East would be ‘devastating’, French minister warns
France’s foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot has warned against any attempts to force regime change in Iran, while noting his country’s concern about escalation of the Middle East conflict that he said could be “devastating” for the region with very serious consequences for global stability.
Arriving at a meeting of EU foreign ministers, Barrot called on Iran not to take action to aggravate the situation, adding that Iran’s nuclear programme was “an existential risk” for Israel, the wider region and Europe.
Referring to his meeting on Friday with Iran’s foreign minister, also involving his German and British counterparts, Barrot said Europe had the experience, competence and detailed knowledge of the questions to open up a negotiation space with Iran.
Turning to the discussion about EU-Israel relations, Barrot said Israel had “clearly violated” article two of the agreement between the two parties on human rights, referring to the Israeli government’s conduct in the Gaza strip and the West Bank. He said ministers would draw the consequences at their next meeting in July, without going into further details.
And he added that France remained determined “to recognise the state of Palestine in a collective movement involving all stakeholders and making possible a political solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, a two-state solution based on guarantees to both peoples”.
Poland’s Radosław Sikorski is speaking to the media now.
He says Russia is using the escalating situation in the Middle East as a cover for intensifying its attacks on Ukraine.
Separately, Sikorski also says that more EU countries are now advancing with their plans to evacuate citizens from Israel and the broader region, and notes that Poland has just completed its third evacuation flight, helping some 300 people to leave in total.
On the EU-Israel association agreement, he says it has not been discussed yet, but might be later in the day.
EU wants a diplomatic solution in Iran, keeps focus on Ukraine
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the leaders are “very much focused” on finding a diplomatic solution to the situation with Iran with growing “concerns of retaliation and this war escalating.”
She said that Iran’s decision to close the Strait of Hormuz “is something that would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody.”
She also said the summit will discuss the association agreement with Israel, with the EU’s review ready for discussion, and Israel submitting its response.
On Ukraine, she said:
“… while our eyes are on what is happening in Iran and the Middle East, there are people dying and in Kyiv, because Russia is keeping the bombs and bombing Ukraine every single day.”
She said the focus was on agreeing further military and ammunition support for Ukraine and “pushing” for the 18th package of sanctions.
‘Putin is a warmaker,’ Ukrainian minister says after attacks on Kyiv
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha is taking part in this morning’s EU foreign affairs council.
In his opening comments, he worried about “another sleepless night in Kyiv” with another Russian “heavy missile attack on Ukrainian civilian targets.”
“That’s the real response of the Russian side to all peace efforts, all peace proposals,” he said.
“Putin is a warmaker,” he warned, adding it was the time “to engage all diplomatic instruments to raise the price for further Russian aggression” and “to force Russia to peace.”
Spain calls for suspending EU-Israel association agreement
Spain’s Albares also called for an immediate suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, saying “the times of words and declarations is behind” and adding that “Palestinians in Gaza have no more time to lose.”
“If the association agreement is based on human rights, it’s the most normal thing that we suspend immediately today that association agreement and that we move forward.
That’s why I will ask for the suspension of the association agreement, an embargo of selling weapons to Israel, and enlarging the list of people that are being sanctioned to everyone that wants to be a spoiler of the two-state solution.”
The Spanish minister added that Europe “must show courage in favour of peace, of international law” and defend the values it is meant to stand up for.
Spain reaches agreement with Nato on 5% defence spending, minister says
Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares is among the first to arrive at the foreign affairs council in Brussels.
He says that over the weekend, Spain has reached an agreement with Nato on the proposed 5% defence spending commitment to be adopted at this week’s summit, after prime minister Pedro Sánchez harshly criticised it as “unreasonable” and “unproductive”.
By the sound of it, the fix relies on changing the wording to make it sound like Spain agrees with the ambition, but is not bound by the percentage – as long as it meets its obligations in another way.
Albares said Spain remained “fully committed” on “unity and the European and Euro-Atlantic security,” with “a historic number of Spanish soldiers on the eastern flank” of Nato.
But, he said, “we think that the debate must not be around percentage, but capabilities,” and that Spain can meet its obligations spending less, around 2.1%.
Morning opening: What’s Europe’s position?
Jakub Krupa
EU foreign ministers are meeting this morning in Brussels to talk about the bloc’s position on Ukraine and Russia and the worsening crisis in the Middle East.
The foreign affairs council kicks off what some dubbed a “super week” in European – and not only – politics, with the Nato summit in The Hague and the European Council summit later this week.
And there’s plenty to talk about.
Today’s meeting starts with Ukraine, after another night of heavy Russian attacks with 352 drones and 16 missiles reported by the country’s air force, mostly targeting Kyiv. At least six were killed, and over a dozen were injured.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “preliminary reports indicate that ballistic weapons from North Korea were also used.”
“Everyone in countries neighbouring Russia, Iran, and North Korea should be thinking carefully about whether they could protect lives if this coalition of murderers persists and continues spreading their terror,” he warned.
Zelenskyy will be in Britain today for further talks on “new and powerful steps to increase pressure on Russia for this war and to put an end to the strikes.”
The EU ministers will then turn to the Middle East, likely calling for a return to negotiations and the need to avoid further escalation.
A big discussion is also expected on potentially triggering a review of the EU-Israel association agreement, but will they want to do this amid escalating and uncertain situation in the region?
Elsewhere, I will be checking on the latest in the buildup to the Nato summit, and other updates from Germany, Norway, Sweden and Romania among others.
It’s Monday, 23 June 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
