Foreign Affairs Council, 17 October 2022

Main results

The Council took a number of important decisions, underpinning the EU’s resolve in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s aggression, advancing peace and stability in the South Caucasus and standing in for human rights in Iran.

Russian aggression against Ukraine

The Foreign Affairs Council exchanged views on the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Before the Council discussion, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, shortly addressed EU ministers via video conference, and briefed them about the latest developments on the ground and Ukraine's current priorities.

Putin is losing politically and morally. In spite of that he continues the escalation, including [through] indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets across Ukraine, as we have seen this morning. We also took note of the vote [at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last week. This vote confirmed the international isolation of Russia. But we cannot take it for granted and we need to stay on the course of our triple strategy: supporting Ukraine, pressuring Russia and addressing the wider fall out of the war, because this war is affecting the whole world. Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Ministers were updated about the military escalation and the ongoing strikes in Kyiv, and took important decisions. They agreed to establish an EU Military Assistance Mission to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The mission will train around 15,000 troops on EU soil. They also agreed to allocate further €500 million under the European Peace Facility to finance deliveries for the Ukrainian defence forces, thereby bringing EU’s military assistance for Ukraine to a total of €3.1 billion.

The Council was also informed about the new discoveries of mass atrocities and reports about systematic kidnapping of children from Ukraine by Russian forces, and stressed that the fight against impunity must be strengthened.

• Ukraine: EU sets up a military assistance mission to further support the Ukrainian Armed Forces
• Ukraine: Council agrees on further support under the European Peace Facility

EU-China relations

The Council reconfirmed the validity of the EU's multifaceted approach on China – a partner with whom the EU must engage, a tough competitor, and a systemic rival.

There is full support among EU member states to continue engaging on issues of interest to the EU - for instance climate change - avoiding to turn dependencies into vulnerabilities.

Ministers stressed that the EU needs to strengthen its internal resilience, and work with international partners.

Current affairs

EU ministers had an exchange of views on Iran and adopted restrictive measures against 11 individuals and 4 entities, targeting those linked to the death of Mahsa Amini and to the violent repression of the peaceful protests.

We are appalled by the still unexplained killing of Mahsa Amini, and by the brutal crackdown of security forces against protesters who continue to die or be detained in the hands of the security forces. All ministers expressed their strong concern about these facts. […] I want to use this opportunity to call on the Iranian government to immediately end this violence , to release those detained, and to allow normal internet services and flow of information. Josep Borrell, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Ministers also considered the reported use by Russia in the war in Ukraine of drones allegedly supplied by Iran.

• Iran: EU sanctions perpetrators of serious human rights violations

Ministers touched on the elections that took place in in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 2 October. Overall, the elections were competitive and well organised, according to the OSCE/ODIHR reports, but were marked by mistrust in public institutions and ethnically divisive rhetoric. The final results are still to be certified due to allegations of widespread electoral fraud.

To keep the country on the EU path, the Commission recommended last week to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina on the understanding that a number of steps are to be taken by government and legislative authorities at all levels, focusing on delivering reforms, as a matter of absolute priority.

The Council also discussed Lebanon, confirming that it remains extremely concerned about the socioeconomic situation in the country and the inability of its political forces to proceed with much needed reforms. Ministers called on Lebanese authorities to elect a new President before the end of the month, and welcomed the agreement between Lebanon and Israel on the delineation of their maritime border.

Concerning Ethiopia, ministers stressed that the situation on the ground has never been that bad, both on military and humanitarian fronts, and that only a political solution to the conflict is sustainable.

• Ethiopia: Declaration of the High Representative on behalf of the EU on the intense fighting in the northern part of the country

Other Council decisions

The Council decided to deploy up to 40 EU monitoring experts along the Armenian side of the international border with Azerbaijan with the objective of monitoring, analysing and reporting on the situation in the region.

• Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

The Council adopted a decision prolonging the restrictive measures against ISIL/Da’esh and Al-Qaeda and persons, groups, undertakings and entities associated with them for a further year, until 31 October 2023.

• ISIL/Da’esh and Al-Qaeda: EU restrictive measures prolonged for an additional year

The Council approved conclusions on the Trade and Sustainability Review.

• Council Conclusions on the Trade and Sustainability Review