<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and his European Union colleagues will discuss Russia's aggression against Ukraine this Monday in Luxembourg, amid the tension generated by Russian air incursions in several Member States, and the situation in the Middle East, one week after the signing of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.</strong></h4> According to the Council, the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) will discuss Russia's aggression against Ukraine, following an informal exchange of views with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, who will participate in the meeting in person. In recent weeks, Russian MiG fighters have violated Estonian airspace, while Russian drones have flown over infrastructure in Belgium, Poland, Romania, Denmark, and Germany, forcing the suspension of flights, the deployment of fighter jets, and the activation of countermeasures in several European countries. On October 8, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen denounced before the European Parliament Russia's intensification of "hybrid warfare" to weaken the unity of the European Union and undermine its support for Ukraine. Therefore, she announced that Brussels will present a roadmap in the next two weeks with measures such as the "drone wall" and the creation of "Collective Capabilities Coalitions" among Member States to improve air defense, cybersecurity, and electronic warfare. According to Von der Leyen, the Russian incursions are not isolated incidents, but are part of a "coherent and escalating campaign" aimed at testing the unity of the European Union and weakening support for Ukraine. In exclusive statements to The Diplomat, Albares denounced at the end of September that the aerial incursions by drones and military fighter jets "are clear provocations and flagrant violations of the sovereignty and airspace of European Union member countries and NATO allies" and warned that the "response must be firm and united," without resorting "to provocations, but also not to inaction." He also asserted that he saw no "risk of disunity" within the European Union regarding the defense of Ukraine as a result of these incursions. <h5><strong>Middle East</strong></h5> Furthermore, the FAC will also discuss the situation in the Middle East "in light of recent events," according to the meeting's agenda. This meeting will take place just one week after the signing in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, of the Middle East Peace Plan, the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas and sponsored by the governments of Egypt, the United States, Qatar, and Turkey. The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, along with US President Donald Trump, the King of Jordan, the Presidents of France and Turkey, the Emir of Qatar, the German Chancellor, the Prime Ministers of Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, among others. Following the signing, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen declared that the agreement represents "a historic milestone" and underscored the EU's willingness to contribute to the initiative's success. In turn, European Council President António Costa emphasized the collective commitment to moving toward a lasting peace based on the two-state solution and reiterated the EU's support for the reconstruction of Gaza and the reform of the Palestinian Authority. Sánchez was accompanied in Egypt by José Manuel Albares, who wrote on social media that, with the signing of the agreement, "a path for hope in the Middle East is opened." "We are working to consolidate the ceasefire in Gaza and achieve permanent peace and security for all in the Middle East with the two-state solution," he added. In addition, the FAC will exchange views on EU-Indo-Pacific relations and is expected to adopt two sets of Conclusions on India and the region. It will also hold a debate on current affairs, specifically Sudan, Moldova, and Georgia. The Council will also be briefed on EU-CELAC relations and the OSCE Ministerial Council, which will take place in Vienna on 4 and 5 December 2025, and on the attack by the regime of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko on the European Humanities University.
