EU told ‘double standards’ for Ukraine and Gaza hurt relations with Indo

EU told ‘double standards’ for Ukraine and Gaza hurt relations with Indo-Pacific

• Remarks come at third EU-Indo Pacific summit in Brussels, attended by more than 70 delegations spanning the Pacific Islands, East Africa, Asia and Europe
• ‘It’s true, every time we talk with our partners, the issue of how we perceive the situations in Gaza and Ukraine appears,’ top EU diplomat Josep Borrell says

European Union

Finbarr Berminghamin the third of its kind, was attended by more than 70 delegations spanning the Pacific Islands, East Africa, Asia and Europe.

It is viewed as a forum for the EU to build closer ties with partners in the region, and to discuss matters of mutual importance. But the summit has also served to underline their differences.

Speaking to reporters at the event, the Luxembourg foreign minister, Xavier Bettel, said he was “ashamed” of the EU’s response to the war in Gaza.

“I remember being as a prime minister discussing for hours if it’s a ‘ceasefire’ or ‘ceasefires’, if it’s a ‘humanitarian ceasefire’, if it’s ‘sanitary ceasefire’, this is why I’m ashamed. I’ve been to to Palestine and to Israel a few weeks ago, and Israelis should understand that the support is shrinking all the time,” Bettel said.

The event took place amid a turbulent backdrop in Brussels. A day earlier, farmers blocked the roads with tractors in protest against EU environmental red tape, lighting fires and toppling statues in front of the European Parliament.

EU fails to secure Southeast Asian backing over Ukraine war

At the same time, parts of the city were locked down as political leaders thrashed out a deal to find €50 billion (US$54 billion) in additional EU support for Ukraine, delaying several visiting delegations in getting to Brussels.

EU foreign ministers were set to dine with their Southeast Asian counterparts on Friday night. A joint statement by the two groups was published on Friday evening, with language on the Middle East diluted significantly from an earlier draft seen by the Post, which contained Asean’s preferred text.

“We agreed to condemn all attacks against civilians and we noted the call of some of us for a durable ceasefire. We called for rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need, including through increased capacity at border crossings and through a dedicated maritime route,” the statement read.

Despite the scheduling, only 20 of the EU’s 27 foreign ministers showed up for the Indo-Pacific forum; France and Germany, the bloc’s most powerful members, sent only lower-level representation.

Borrell said he had apologised to guests who had travelled from afar, but added that the “political agenda is complicated”.