Earlier today, the European Foreign Council held its meeting in Brussels and discussed the a series of topics including foreign development and humanitarian aid, Iran, Syria and the EU Global Gateway.
The EU is set to redraw its external aid programmes along with its strategic priorities. High Representative Kaja Kallas highlighted that the EU is the biggest aid donor in the world but if the EU wants to be a geopolitical actor, it has to align this aid with its strategic interests. The EU provided 48% of the global Overseas Development Aid in 2025.
The High Representative also said that the EU needs to be strategic with the funding of the Global Gateway. Partners supporting hostile countries such as Russia and Iran should not be able to benefit from this programme Vice-Commissioner Kallas said. The EU Global Gateway is the European Union’s flagship strategy for investing in high-quality, sustainable infrastructure and connectivity projects worldwide.
The EU Council has also decided to lift sanctions on Syria’s Ministry of Defence and other entities. The crisis at the Strait of Hormuz was also discussed and Vice-Commissioner Kallas warned that if the crisis persisted, it could cause more severe global consequences including famine in countries that are heavily dependent on agriculture, and thus need fertiliser.
You can find the briefing document here.
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