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EU's Costa, von der Leyen talk to Middle Eastern leaders on Monday, spokesperson says

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on March 6, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: April 1, 2026

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EU's Costa, von der Leyen talk to Middle Eastern leaders on Monday, spokesperson says
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BRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - EU leaders Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen will hold a video conference with Middle Eastern leaders on Monday to discuss the situation in the region, a

EU Leaders to Hold Video Conference with Middle Eastern Leaders on Regional Crisis

EU and Middle Eastern Leaders Address Regional Crisis

BRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - EU leaders Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen will hold a video conference with Middle Eastern leaders on Monday to discuss the situation in the region, a spokesperson for Costa said on Friday.

Purpose of the Video Conference

"This exchange will provide an opportunity to hear leaders' assessments of the situation and to discuss further support from the EU and its member states to countries in the region, as well as ways to bring the current conflict to an end," the spokesperson said.

Recent Diplomatic Engagements

The foreign ministers of the 27 EU members discussed the situation in Iran and the broader Middle East with their counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council in a video call on Thursday.

Calls for Dialogue and Diplomacy

During the meeting, they all called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the crisis, while reiterating that Gulf countries have the right to defend themselves against Iran.

(Reporting by Lili Bayer and Inti Landauro, editing by Bart Meijer)

Key Takeaways

  • The Monday video‑conference aims to gather regional leaders’ insights and identify EU and member state support to end the conflict.
  • On Thursday, EU foreign ministers and Gulf counterparts condemned Iran’s attacks, affirmed Gulf countries’ right to self‑defence, and stressed dialogue and diplomacy (consilium.europa.eu).
  • This reflects growing EU engagement in the region—evident through €1 billion macro‑financial aid to Egypt and coordination of maritime defence operations ASPIDES and Atalanta to secure supply routes (north-africa-middle-east-gulf.ec.europa.eu).

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the EU video conference with Middle Eastern leaders?
The video conference aims to discuss the current situation in the Middle East and explore further EU support for countries in the region.
Which EU leaders are participating in the call with Middle Eastern leaders?
Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen will take part in the video conference with Middle Eastern leaders.
What topics will be discussed during the EU and Middle East leaders' conference?
Topics will include regional conflict, assessments from Middle Eastern leaders, EU and member state support, and ways to end current conflicts.
Which other meetings have recently addressed Middle Eastern issues?
EU foreign ministers met with Gulf Cooperation Council counterparts to discuss Iran and the broader Middle East, focusing on dialogue and diplomacy.

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