European Union foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels today, Thursday, to address the ongoing crises in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the disputed presidential elections in Venezuela.
This informal meeting, chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, is not expected to result in any formal decisions.
Originally scheduled to take place in Budapest, the meeting was relocated to Brussels in protest against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in July.
The session will begin with a discussion on the Russia-Ukraine war, featuring Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
This comes two and a half years after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Kyiv surprised the world earlier this month by launching an attack on Russia in the Kursk region.
Following the Ukraine discussions, the ministers will hold a working lunch with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to explore EU-Turkey relations and “global issues of mutual interest,” according to a statement from the EU diplomatic service.
The third agenda item will focus on efforts to secure a ceasefire and a hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Sigrid Kaag, who coordinates UN humanitarian efforts in Gaza, will join the ministers for this discussion.
Finally, the ministers will address the political crisis in Venezuela following the July 28 presidential elections.
Last week, the country’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of re-electing current President Nicolás Maduro.
However, countries such as the United States, Peru, Argentina, Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay, and Costa Rica have rejected the results, claiming that opposition candidate Edmundo González is the rightful winner.
