The European Union has stepped up its diplomatic outreach and operational response after the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, working with countries in the region to help restore peace and stability and minimise the impact on security and energy.

In brief

1. More than 11,000 European citizens have been repatriated through close to 90 flights coordinated by the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre.

2. The Commission has for the first time mobilised its own rescEU transport and logistic capacities and directly chartered five flights.

3. The EU has activated the ATALANTA and ASPIDES naval operations to protect maritime routes and monitor the situation in the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf region.

4. Ursula von der Leyen said the European executive is preparing options to cut energy bills, including “better use of Purchase Power Agreements and contracts for difference; state aid measures; exploring subsidising or capping the gas price”.

5. EU leaders will discuss on 19 March the military escalation in the Middle East, the situation in Iran and the effects on energy prices and energy security.

Amid rising tensions following the US-Israel military operations against the Iranian regime, EU leaders have been in contact with partners in the region and have acted to bring back peace and stability and minimise the impact on security and energy.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen strongly condemned the Iranian regime and expressed full solidarity with the Iranian people as well as with the other countries in the region. She also reiterated full solidarity with Cyprus.

On 9 March, Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa held a videoconference with leaders of Middle East countries. The two leaders once again condemned the indiscriminate attacks by Iran in the strongest terms and reiterated the EU’s commitment to partnership, security and prosperity in the region. They also called for the protection of civilians and full respect for international law, international humanitarian law and the obligation to abide by the principles of the United Nations Charter.

During that call, the two presidents thanked the leaders of the region for their assistance and support in repatriating tens of thousands of European citizens from the region. Since the war erupted, more than 11,000 citizens have been brought home thanks to close to 90 flights coordinated by the EU’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre. In addition, the Commission has mobilised its own rescEU transport and logistic capacities for the first time and directly chartered five flights.

In the same week, Ursula von der Leyen also held a call with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, where she expressed the EU’s solidarity with Lebanon and its people. The European Union has already delivered 40 tons of humanitarian supplies and is providing Lebanon with €100 million in humanitarian support.

On the security front, the EU is also working on securing maritime routes in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. Security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf region is presented as a shared strategic priority. Two EU naval operations, ATALANTA and ASPIDES, are already in place to continue carrying out their protection tasks and to monitor the situation closely. As the situation evolves, the EU will continue assessing how to help restore freedom of navigation and maritime security in the region, including through these naval operations.

The Commission president has also been actively monitoring the impact of the regional conflict on energy. She took part in a G7 call on 11 March, during which partners discussed how to minimise the impact of the worrying situation in Iran and the Middle East on security and the global energy market. Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa said the immediate priority is to keep energy flows moving.

Addressing EU lawmakers in the European Parliament plenary on the same day, Ursula von der Leyen said Europe must look comprehensively at how to reduce people’s energy bills, adding that the Commission is “preparing different options: better use of Purchase Power Agreements and contracts for difference; state aid measures; exploring subsidising or capping the gas price”.

At the same time, the Commission president ruled out any return to Russian fossil fuels. “Yet in the current crisis, some argue that we should abandon our long-term strategy and even go back to Russian fossil fuels. This would be a strategic blunder. It would make us more dependent, more vulnerable and weaker. So, we should stay the course on our long-term strategy,” she said.

EU leaders are meeting in Brussels this week on 19 March, when they are due to address the military escalation in the Middle East and the situation in Iran, including the consequences for the European Union in terms of energy prices and energy security, among other topics.