Minister Tajani’s participation in the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani, is on a mission to Brussels to attend a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union.

The meeting, chaired by High Representative Josep Borrell, will open with an exchange of views with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, connected by video-conference. This will be followed by a discussion on the conflict in Ukraine, opened to the participation of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba. The 27 EU Member States will also discuss the latest developments in Belarus, with specific reference to the issue of respect for human rights in the country.

The situation in the Middle East is also on the agenda. The Foreign Ministers will take stock of the latest developments in the region. At Italy's request, the Deputy Prime Minister will illustrate to the partners the content of the "Food for Gaza" initiative, launched in recent days by Minister Tajani. Since the beginning of the conflict, Italy has been at the forefront in ensuring humanitarian assistance to the population of Gaza, providing basic necessities and giving assistance to people in need of care, including minors and their families. It should be recalled that the "'Food for Gaza" initiative, led by the Italian Foreign Ministry together with FAO, WFP and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), is aimed at ensuring food security and primary health care to alleviate the suffering of the population in the Gaza Strip.

The situation in the South Caucasus and Haiti will also be discussed.