Middle East

Global Europe 07-04-2024

EU should not aim to be ‘neutral actor’ in Middle East peace process, bloc’s envoy says

Est. 8min

A future Israel-Palestine peace deal can only come as part of concerted international efforts, which is why the EU should not aim to act as a 'neutral actor', the bloc's Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, Sven Koopmans told Euractiv.

Global Europe 14-03-2024

EU humanitarian chief urges Israel to enable better land access to Gaza as famine looms

Est. 5min

Airdrops and a maritime corridor will not be enough to substitute humanitarian aid transported by trucks into Gaza, where people are on the verge of famine, European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič said on Thursday (14 March).

Global Europe 08-01-2024

Hezbollah ‘not seeking war’, Borrell says after visit to Lebanon

Est. 4min

Hezbollah is not seeking war with Israel as it is 'perfectly aware' that this could drag Iran into joining the conflict, but the situation has worsened after the recent attack against Hamas in Lebanon, EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell told …

Global Europe 10-10-2023

EU should convey message to Lebanon, Palestinian Authority to ‘stay out’, Israel envoy says

Est. 5min

The EU should use its influence to convey a message to Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority to stay out of Israel's fight in Gaza, the Israeli ambassador to the EU and NATO told Euractiv on Tuesday (10 October). "A key issue …

Global Europe 21-11-2022

EU must offer alternative to Russia and China, Borrell says

Est. 7min

The EU must avoid creating new 'dependencies' and offer an alternative to partner countries as it reshapes its diplomatic approach after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the bloc's chief diplomat Josep Borrell told EURACTIV.

Justice 04-01-2022

Interview: Why did so many Kurds go to Belarus?

Est. 5min

Political disillusionment, lack of economic opportunities and dreams of a better life are reasons why many asylum seekers that enter Lithuania from Belarus originate from Iraqi Kurdistan, a region considered one of the wealthiest and most stable in the region.

Global Europe 15-11-2021

Foreign Minister: Uzbekistan is promoting ‘pragmatic relations’ with Afghanistan

Est. 15min

In a wide-ranging interview, Uzbekistan's Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov discussed his country’s relations with the EU, the situation with "fraternal neighbour" Afghanistan, regional cooperation, and strategies for a 'Third Renaissance' of Uzbekistan.

Central Europe 07-10-2021

Kazakh official: The Taliban are no threat to Central Asia

Est. 7min

It is necessary to create conditions for dialogue with the new government in Afghanistan, regardless of its political attitudes and ideologies. This is very important for both the Central Asian countries and the EU, Kazakhstan's Talgat Kaliyev told EURACTIV in an interview.

Justice 17-09-2021

Asselborn: We will kill Schengen if border restrictions persist

Est. 6min

Rejecting the idea of 'deportation centres' that would host Afghan refugees in Central Asia, Luxembourgish Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told EURACTIV in an interview the EU holds enormous responsibility towards those who "helped us build an embryo of rule of law" in Afghanistan.

Global Europe 09-09-2021

Chizhov: Russia is well-placed to play a constructive role in Afghanistan

Est. 16min

In a wide-ranging interview, the Russian ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov discussed Afghanistan, the ‘Crimea Platform’, carbon border tax, COVID and vaccines, and the new political season.

Global Europe 08-09-2021

Michel : Afghanistan is a failure for the international community

Est. 4min

European Council President Charles Michel gave a scathing assessment of the recent US withdrawal from Afghanistan in an interview for the French website Le Grand Continent on Wednesday (8 September), pointing out the need for the EU to step up efforts to build its strategic autonomy.

Slovenia’s defence minister: EU will learn its lessons from Afghanistan

Est. 6min

In case the EU wishes to become a more reliable security provider and global actor, it needs to avoid past mistakes and develop credible military intervention forces that are able to project stability in our neighbourhood, Slovenia's defence minister Matej …

Global Europe 12-01-2021

Turkish FM says the EU has ‘over-politicised’ accession negotiations

Est. 6min

The EU has “excessively politicised” the negotiations between Ankara and Brussels, Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told EURACTIV’s partner EFE in a written interview, calling on the bloc to take a more positive approach. He reiterated his country's wish …

Global Europe 23-09-2020

EU must openly discuss Turkey sanctions, says Austria’s EU minister

Est. 6min

At the next European summit, Austria wants to speak openly about sanctions against Ankara, including the possibility to break off accession talks with Turkey, the country's EU Minister Karoline Edtstadler told EURACTIV Germany.

Mikser: Nuclear arms control must be taken more seriously

Est. 9min

With evolving technology and changing military doctrines, arms control and nuclear weapons control should be brought back to top attention, but it is "increasingly difficult to come to any agreement among the critical players" in the world, MEP Sven Mikser …

Enlargement 21-01-2020

Czech FM: Visegrad countries will continue to promote EU enlargement

Est. 12min

The Visegrad countries will need some time to close the ditches they have dug in recent years, Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček told EURACTIV.cz in an interview. He also voiced doubts about the need for a reform of EU membership negotiations, demanded by France, saying the process is already reversible at any stage.

Defence policy 18-11-2019

Russia’s EU ambassador: The fall of the Berlin Wall was ‘a victory of common sense’

Est. 19min

In a wide-ranging interview, Russia’s Ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov spoke about gas transit talks with Ukraine, NATO and EU enlargement, nuclear arms control, Russia’s sales of the S-400 anti-aircraft system, the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and Brexit.

Europe's East 10-05-2019

Ambassador: For Georgia, the Eastern Partnership means a lot

Est. 15min

In a wide-ranging interview, the Ambassador of Georgia to the EU talked about the lessons learned from 10 years of Eastern Partnership, her country’s reforms, relations with neighbours, including the biggest one – Russia.

Central Asia 15-03-2019

Kazakh Minister: Growing interest for next round of Astana talks

Est. 4min

The next round of talks under the so-called Astana Process will take place next month, and there is a growing international interest for this forum, First Deputy of the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Mukhtar Tileuberdi told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

EU counter-terrorism chief: Europe ‘may see something like Daesh 2.0’

Est. 15min

The level of terrorist threat remains "pretty serious" in several EU countries, Gilles de Kerchove, the EU's counter-terrorism coordinator, told EURACTIV.com in an interview hours before the latest attack in Strasbourg on Tuesday night (12 December).

Azerbaijan 04-12-2018

Official: Azerbaijan is ready for chairing Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022

Est. 8min

Azerbaijan, a supporter of multilateralism and international cooperation, will chair the Non-Aligned Movement in 2019-2022, with international peace and security as the top priority issues, a senior official from the country told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

Europe's East 16-10-2018

Elmar Mammadyarov : Azerbaijan’s EU relation is of strategic nature

Est. 12min

In a wide-ranging interview, the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov discussed his country’s relations with the EU, major energy and transport projects, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and relations with global players.

Central Asia 16-10-2018

Nazarbayev: Partnership in Eurasia can strengthen the world system

Est. 17min

Exclusive: Two days ahead of the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) which will bring together heads of state and government of 51 European and Asian countries, the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev offered his comments on a wide range of issues.

Central Asia 10-10-2018

Kazakh researcher: EU is like a dog with an Elizabethan collar

Est. 10min

Kazakhstan has succeeded where the EU has failed - creating a society based on multiculturalism, Saginaty Berdaulova told EURACTIV in an interview.