Tánaiste takes part in meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, will take part in a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday 14 October.

The agenda for the meeting includes discussions on the crisis in the Middle East and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha will join the meeting by VC for the discussion on Ukraine. Ministers will be joined over lunch by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy for an informal exchange of views on current affairs, with a particular focus on Ukraine and the Middle East.

On the situation in the Middle East, the Tánaiste said:

“The ongoing war in Gaza and Lebanon is completely unacceptable. The risk of a wider regional conflict is real. The attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers by the IDF we have seen in recent days are completely unacceptable and reprehensible.

“All parties, including Israel, must respect their obligations regarding the protection of the peacekeepers and avoid any activities that put them in harm’s way. We urgently need de-escalation and an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, a country that is already fragile and facing a growing humanitarian crisis. A year after the heinous terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel, and the appalling suffering of the Palestinian population since then in Gaza, we will discuss how the EU can support efforts to bring about an urgently needed ceasefire, hostage release and humanitarian access.

“I will raise the need for the EU and its Member States to take into account the Advisory Opinion of the ICJ and the need to support efforts to restore a political path to resolve this long-running conflict. This war must end.”

On Ukraine, the Tánaiste said:

“The scale of Russia’s recent attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities demonstrates yet again its blatant disregard for civilians and international humanitarian law. Today, my counterparts and I will discuss ways that the EU can continue to strategically support Ukraine, in conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. I welcome hearing first-hand from Minister Sybiha about the current situation on the ground and Ukraine’s most urgent needs.”

Commenting on the discussion with the UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, the Tánaiste said:

“The EU and the UK are likeminded partners on the global stage. At a time of growing external threats and challenges, it is important that we work together. The Foreign Secretary and I spoke about this in Dublin earlier this month and I look forward to an exchange of views with colleagues on how we can take this forward.”