EU: The Minister’s participation in the Foreign Affairs Council (March 17, 2026)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot took part in the European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting held on March 16 in Brussels.
The Ministers began by discussing the evolution and adaptation of Europe’s security strategy.

The Minister took part in a discussion on the consequences of the Middle East crisis for the war in Ukraine, during which the participants reaffirmed the EU’s long-term support for Ukraine.
The Ministers also met with Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and noted the positive momentum in EU-Indian relations.

Discussions on the Middle East focused on the regional escalation of the conflict, the safety of our nationals and EU solidarity with our regional partners. EU support for Iranian civil society was also mentioned. The ministers also discussed the humanitarian needs of Lebanon’s civilian population. Lastly, they spoke about the EU’s Mediterranean policy and the EU’s direct relations with its Southern Neighborhood.

The Council also adopted 19 new individual sanctions against Iranians responsible for State violence in January 2026. A few days after renewing the 2,600 sanctions that had already been imposed on Russia as a result of its war of aggression in Ukraine, the Council adopted nine new sanctions against those responsible for the Bucha massacre. Four pro-Russian propagandists who defended war crimes were also placed under European sanctions. Lastly, new listings were adopted under the EU’s cyber sanctions regime against a private Iranian entity and two private Chinese entities responsible for cyber-attacks targeting EU member states.

Upon arriving at the Council meeting, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot made the following remarks:

“The uncontrolled and dangerous military escalation in the Middle East is not distracting us from Ukraine, where the peace and security of the European continent have been at stake for the past four years. Against the backdrop of Russia’s growing isolation on the global stage – after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Nicolas Maduro and Ayatollah Khamenei – we are staunchly and resolutely continuing our efforts in two areas: maintaining our support for Ukraine and putting pressure on Vladimir Putin.

President Macron expressed our support for Ukraine last Friday in Paris, where he hosted President Zelenskyy. He assured [the Ukrainian President] that we are continuing our efforts to ensure that Ukraine has everything it needs, both militarily and financially, to continue resisting the Russian aggression. It is in this context that we strongly hope an agreement can be reached on the €90 billion loan that will shield Ukraine from any financial difficulties for the next two years.
As for pressuring Vladimir Putin, last weekend, the 2,600 sanctions adopted since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine were renewed without hindrance.

Today in Brussels, we are adding nine listings of war criminals responsible for the Bucha massacre, whose fourth anniversary is coming up in a few days. We are also adding four sanctions against Kremlin propagandists, including one Franco-Russian, Adrien Bocquet, who has been involved in recruiting foreigners to fight in Ukraine, has defended war crimes and has conducted disinformation campaigns in Europe and Africa.

In Africa Vladimir Putin continues in vain to undermine EU and French relations with African countries. But what has Russia really contributed to the continent’s development? Nothing.

On Thursday and Friday, I visited the Central African Republic; on the ground I saw no evidence of Russian contributions. And the numbers don’t show anything either. The EU’s investments in Africa are 200 times greater than those of Russia. EU trade with Africa is 20 times greater than Russia’s. The EU welcomes 10 times more students at its universities than Russia does.

That’s the reality. So Vladimir Putin has to face facts: the war of aggression in which he plunged his country at the risk of draining and discrediting it must stop. It’s a strategic, political and economic failure that must end now.”