Brussels EU-Gulf summit discusses Middle East and Ukraine conflicts

Representatives of the EU and of the Gulf countries met in Brussels for their first joint summit, which aimed to strengthen relations between the two.

The conflict in the Middle East was a burning issue discussed on Wednesday.

“The Gulf countries are crucial partners for regional security and we commend their efforts to put an end to the spiral of violence in the Middle East,” said the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell.

He praised the latest moves by the Gulf partners to try to secure peace. “In particular, the joint launch, in the margins of the UN General Assembly last September, of a global partnership for the implementation of the two-state solution, the only way to lasting peace,” Borrel said at the press conference afterwards.

A communiqué agreed by all leaders called for “an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire,” which would include the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the exchange of Palestinian prisoners, as well as immediate and unimpeded access to “large-scale humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip to all Palestinian civilians in need” — all of which, Borrell said, was “a common priority”.

The war in Ukraine was also mentioned: “We underline the need to achieve, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter,” the joint communiqué said.

However, the private meeting of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman, accused of ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, caused controversy.

The EU and the Gulf states have agreed to continue to meet regularly every two years, with the next meeting scheduled for 2026 in Saudi Arabia.