Brussels - Kuwait: Europe and the Arabs
The European External Action Service in Brussels published the text of the speech delivered by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaya Kallas during the closing press conference of the EU-GCC ministerial meeting held in Kuwait on Monday. The European official said, "Our discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council, including the follow-up to our first summit. We also addressed key regional and global issues, from Gaza and the two-state solution to Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, the Red Sea, Sudan, and the Horn of Africa.
When we met for the first EU-GCC summit last year, conflict and human suffering were widespread. Unfortunately, 2025 has brought more instability. The Gulf region has felt this firsthand, and I would like to express my solidarity with Qatar and its people. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected, including Qatar.
It has been more than three years since Russia violated Ukraine's territorial integrity with its unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression. We continue to pressure Russia to enter negotiations for a just peace. And permanent, particularly through the recent 19th package of sanctions. I commend the role of the Gulf states in facilitating the exchange of prisoners and the return of deported Ukrainian children. We rely on our Gulf partners to help prevent the circumvention of sanctions. All means that enable Russia to wage war must be curbed.
We also addressed the catastrophic situation in Gaza. Ending the human suffering there is our top priority. The spiral of death must end. We must build on the political momentum in New York. We support ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire, release hostages, and open a political horizon for peace. The European Union stands ready to contribute to this plan with all our strength. We are the largest humanitarian donor to Gaza, have established the new donor group for Palestine, and remain the largest financial supporter of the Palestinian Authority—with €1.6 billion allocated for the period 2025-2027.
Despite the instability in the region, EU-GCC relations are entering a new and vital phase. Our strategic partnership is deepening: from trade and investment to climate action, energy, security, and cooperation. Humanitarian.
We have launched practical mechanisms such as the Trade and Investment Dialogue and the Green Transformation Forum. Nearly 50% of the commitments from our last summit have already been implemented, but there is still great potential, particularly in connecting our scientists, universities, and innovators.
Next week, the European Commission will adopt the Mediterranean Charter. We aspire to expand its scope beyond the Mediterranean, providing opportunities for Gulf countries to participate in projects of common interest, alongside cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council as a whole.
We will continue to work to revitalize our partnership so that at our next EU-GCC summit we can present a shared vision, as well as tangible results—results that bring stability, prosperity, and hope to our peoples.
She concluded by saying, "Thank you very much again to Kuwait for hosting us here, and we look forward to meeting you all in Brussels next year." The European Union institutions in Brussels published the final statement of the meeting, which read: "The Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union held their 29th Joint Ministerial Meeting, hereinafter referred to as the 'Joint Council.' The Gulf side was chaired by His Excellency Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait, President of the current GCC Ministerial Session, while the European side was chaired by Her Excellency Kaya Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission, with the participation of His Excellency Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the GCC, and senior officials from both sides.
The Joint Council welcomed the tangible progress made within the framework of the strategic partnership between the Gulf Cooperation Council and the European Union, established under the 1988 Cooperation Agreement. The Joint Council emphasized the particular importance of this partnership in light of the serious threats to peace, security, and stability at the regional and international levels, as well as the challenges facing the global economy. The Joint Council commended the outcomes of the first GCC-EU Summit, held in Brussels on 16 October 2024, under the title 'A Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity,' and looked forward to... The next summit will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2026.