Luxembourg Expresses Solidarity With Ukraine at EU Foreign Affairs Meeting

On Monday 23 February 2026, Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Xavier Bettel, attended the meeting of the Council of the European Union on Foreign Affairs (FAC) in Brussels.

According to Luxembourg’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Cooperation and Foreign Trade, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the ministers engaged in an in-depth exchange on the latest developments in Ukraine. They were joined by the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, who participated via videoconference.

The ministry noted that since 24 February 2022, Russian aggression against Ukraine has caused hundreds of thousands of casualties and led to daily attacks on civilians and cities throughout Ukraine, with enormous costs for Ukraine, Russia and the rest of the world, as well as devastating effects on energy prices, food supplies and the global economic situation.

During his intervention, Minister Bettel expressed Luxembourg’s solidarity with Ukraine and remarked that this is not merely a war against Ukraine’s territorial integrity but also a war against European values and international law. Accordingly, support for Ukraine remains essential. He also highlighted Luxembourg’s assistance to the country, including generators and support in the demining sector, noting that Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world.

Regarding the peace talks, the Minister Bettel emphasised that the EU is well placed to play a leading role in supporting Ukraine and asserting its security interests on the European continent.

Moreover, regarding the €90 billion credit for Ukraine, Minister Bettel recalled that a political agreement had been reached during the European Council in December 2025 and that this agreement must be respected by all Member States.

The ministry reported that in relation to the second item on the agenda, the ministers discussed the situation in the Middle East. Concerning Gaza and the West Bank, the Minister Bettel stressed the need for positive developments on the ground. The role of the Board of Peace (BoP) was also mentioned and Minister Bettel expressed support for the European Union to participate as an observer in the BoP negotiations, an entity which should operate within the limits of UN Security Council Resolution 2803.

In addition, Minister Bettel said he deplored the decisions taken by the Israeli government against UNRWA and NGOs active in the humanitarian field, emphasising that their efforts remain essential.

During the discussion on the Middle East, the ministers also held two separate exchanges: one with Nikolai Mladenov, Director-General of the BoP, and the other with Alexander De Croo, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).