EU Ministers to Impose New Iran Sanctions, Address Venezuela Crisis, and Approve Ukraine Aid
October 15, 2024In addition to sanctions against Iran, the political and social situation in Venezuela will be addressed, particularly regarding President Nicolás Maduro's repressive regime.
Protests against the election results in Venezuela have led to over 2,000 arrests and more than 20 fatalities due to security force repression.
On Monday, EU Foreign Ministers will convene in Luxembourg to approve new sanctions against Iran, primarily in response to missile deliveries to Russia amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Current sanctions are already in place against companies supplying weaponry for Russia's war effort in Ukraine, particularly from Iran.
The opposition in Venezuela has condemned recent elections as fraudulent, demanding independent verification of the voting results.
The meeting will also cover the situation in the Middle East, including Israel's invasion of Gaza and the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Furthermore, EU foreign ministers will approve loans up to 35 billion euros for Ukraine, aimed at supporting military purchases.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha will provide updates on the conflict with Russia, which has been ongoing for over two years.
The new sanctions package is expected to specifically target Iranian weaponry, particularly ballistic missiles supplied to Moscow.
Tehran's alleged provision of ballistic missiles to Russia is viewed as a significant breach of international norms, especially given the current situation in Ukraine.
The meeting will also include UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, marking the first participation of a British minister in an EU Foreign Affairs Council since Brexit.
Discussions will focus on measures to prevent Russia from receiving technology components supplied by both Iran and China.
Summary based on 3 sources