The European Union had been sidelined in the peace talks by Russia and the US to what it has been calling Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest European war since World War II. As it struggles to make its voice heard on a war on European soil, can it position itself as a mediator in the Middle East?
On Wednesday, The European Parliament hosted a conference, Wars in the Middle East: Challenges and Prospects for Mediation and Peace, organised by Gaetano Pedullà, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the 5 Star Movement. The event gathered diplomats, academics, and policymakers to discuss the EU’s role in conflict resolution in the Middle East. With ongoing violence in Gaza, the debate among the speakers revolved around the European Union’s diplomatic limitations, its humanitarian commitments, and whether the Union can act independently from the US when it comes to mediation efforts.
Among the key speakers were Carolina Morace, who introduced the event; Flavio Lotti, President of Fondazione Marcia PerugiAssisi per una Cultura di Pace; Sultan Barakat, professor and expert on Middle Eastern affairs; Luisa Morgantini, President of AssopacePalestina and former Vice-President of the European Parliament; Elena Yoncheva, MEP; Stefania Ascari, Italian MP and Coordinator of the Peace Intergroup; Danilo Della Valle, MEP; and Gaetano Pedullà, MEP and organizer of the event.
The conversation painted a grim picture of the EU’s political irrelevance and failure to act when necessary, from blocked aid convoys to Israel’s unchecked military actions, the speakers highlighted that the EU has to decide whether it wants to be a passive observer of an active player in shaping peace in the Middle East and current policy.
Luisa Morgantini, president of AssopacePalestina:
The EU is an accomplice to the genocide. We fund Israel’s military occupation, yet we take no political action.
Evaluating the current and future geopolitics, MEP Danilo Della Vall stated how the European Union does not have a say in the new narrative.
The EU has become too polite when it comes to difficult issues. We are being sidelined in global geopolitics, allowing Trump and Putin to dictate the narrative.
Stefania Ascar, who was on the Rafah border when the crisis unfolded described the crisis:
More than 500 trucks filled with life-saving supplies were stuck in the Sinai Desert, unable to reach starving civilians. We saw with our own eyes the suffering
Brussels Morning Newspaper spoke with the organizer of the conference, MEP Gaetano Pedullà during the event to gain detailed insight into the direction of the EU’s foreign policy and whether it is shifting towards a more independent diplomatic role in the Middle East. Gaetano Pedullà highlighted the deep divisions within the European Parliament and the unclear direction of the US policy in the region.
The MEP addressed whether the EU is shifting towards a stronger diplomatic role in the Middle East, he was clear in stating that:
No, no, we continue. There is a big problem. Many in the European Parliament still believe war is the solution and do not support diplomacy or stopping the war.
He explained that many European politicians continue to fixate on backing Ukraine and Zelensky, disregarding wider geopolitical consequences, while the US shifts its focus under Trump.
A member of the Five Star Movement, the MEP emphasized the significance of a more diplomatic and strategic European approach:
The problem is not just the current situation but also the future. Is a two-state solution the right answer? Maybe. But what happens if Palestine’s leadership remains unchanged? Without leadership reform, Hamas and other groups will continue to be seen as terrorist organizations, making peace even harder to achieve.
Brussels Morning also asked whether the MEP expects the EU to act independently from the US when it comes to it’s foreign policy in the Middle East.
The MEP acknowledged the historical ties between the US and the EU but suggested that the situation remains uncertain due to Trump’s unclear position.
We have to wait and see Trump’s real position. He has said a lot, but we don’t yet know his true stance.
