Kaja Kallas addresses EU-Turkey relations and Russian sanctions at Foreign Affairs Council

On July 13, 2026, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas held a press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. Kallas urged Turkey to respect the sovereignty and sovereign rights of all EU member states, noting that Cyprus had raised concerns regarding Turkish plans for a natural gas pipeline linked to the island. Regarding the Middle East, Kallas emphasized the importance of free navigation in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea and reiterated that Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons. During the council, ministers discussed the 21st package of sanctions against Russia, which includes over 250 individual listings. While Kallas noted that sanctions are being applied with unprecedented speed, the member states failed to reach a final agreement on the full package during this session. There is currently no guarantee the package will be approved by the Wednesday oil price cap deadline, leading to discussions on a contingency 'Plan B'. This session marked the ninth consecutive time that EU ministers have imposed new measures against Russia since the 2022 invasion.