EU Council President Antonio Costa has said that, given the rise in energy prices and the distraction from Ukraine, the only beneficiary of the conflict in the Middle East is Russia, Reuters reports.
Addressing EU ambassadors in Brussels, Costa said that so far only one country has been involved in the Middle East war, and that is Russia.
Costa stressed that as energy prices rise, Russia is gaining new funds to finance its aggression in Ukraine. The Kremlin is also a beneficiary, as military capabilities that could be used in Ukraine are diverted elsewhere, and
with the Middle East taking center stage, less attention is paid to Ukraine.
He said the EU must protect the order based on international law, which is now being tested by the US, and called on all parties to the Iran conflict to return to the negotiating table. “Freedom and human rights cannot be achieved through bombs. Only international law upholds them,” said Costa. He added that further escalation of the situation must be avoided, as it would endanger the Middle East, Europe and beyond.
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