BRUSSELS, Monday, May 11, 2026 (WNP): High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said European foreign ministers held extensive discussions on the Western Balkans, Ukraine, the Middle East and regional security during the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Kallas said the European Union had endorsed deeper cooperation with Western Balkan partners on foreign, security and defence matters, including enhanced support against hybrid threats and disinformation.
She announced a new Security and Defence Partnership with Montenegro and greater use of the European Peace Facility to strengthen defence capabilities of regional partners.
Kallas said the EU expected reforms, adherence to the rule of law and alignment with European foreign policy from Western Balkan countries, reiterating that the region belonged in the European Union.
Referring to Bosnia and Herzegovina, she said ministers discussed the announced resignation of High Representative Christian Schmidt and stressed the need to maintain the country on its European path while working collectively on the appointment of a successor.
On Ukraine, Kallas said ministers held substantive discussions with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and reviewed developments related to the conflict with Russia.
She said ministers adopted a strengthened mandate for the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine to support efforts against hybrid threats and assist in the reintegration of veterans.
Kallas said the EU was also advancing work on security guarantees during a possible truce period, including strengthening the EU Satellite Centre for ceasefire monitoring and countering sanctions circumvention.
The EU foreign policy chief said the bloc was preparing further sanctions aimed at restricting Kremlin revenue streams and weakening Russia’s military-industrial capabilities.
She stressed that the European Union continued to support efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace in coordination with Ukraine, adding that member states needed to agree on their collective position before any direct engagement with Russia.
Kallas also announced that the EU would formally join the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression and the International Claims Commission this week as part of accountability efforts linked to the war in Ukraine.
She said ministers adopted 23 new sanctions listings targeting individuals allegedly involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children, describing the issue as one of the gravest consequences of the conflict.
Regarding Ukraine’s accession process, Kallas said Kyiv had made significant reform progress despite wartime challenges and expressed hope that all negotiation clusters could be opened before summer.
On the Middle East, the EU foreign policy chief said ministers agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation with Gulf partners following recent tensions involving Iran and the United States.
She said the EU planned to accelerate Strategic Partnership Agreements with all six Gulf Cooperation Council countries and expand cooperation in security and defence sectors.
Referring to the Strait of Hormuz, Kallas said the ceasefire remained under pressure following recent Iranian strikes in the region and emphasized the importance of protecting freedom of navigation.
She announced that the EU was expanding sanctions related to Iran to include individuals responsible for obstructing maritime navigation and said ministers discussed strengthening the EU naval mission Operation ASPIDES.
On Gaza, Kallas described the humanitarian situation as dire and noted that negotiations between Hamas and Israel had stalled.
She said the EU reached a political agreement to impose sanctions on Israeli extremist settlers and entities alongside additional sanctions on leading Hamas figures.
Kallas added that ministers also discussed possible measures related to trade with illegal Israeli settlements following calls by several member states for further action.
Regarding Syria, she announced that ministers had agreed to fully resume the cooperation agreement previously suspended under the Assad government and to lift sanctions on Syria’s Interior and Defence Ministries.
She said the decision represented an important political signal in the normalization of EU-Syria relations while emphasizing that Brussels expected continued progress towards an inclusive political transition in Syria.
Kallas also welcomed the participation of Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in the meeting and said the European Union and Canada could serve as stabilizing forces in global foreign policy and trade amid ongoing international uncertainty.
