Maria Malmer Stenergard takes part in Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels
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Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard took part in the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 20 November 2025. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, Sudan and the Sahel were on the agenda.
During the Foreign Affairs Council, Ms Malmer Stenergard stressed the need for the EU to increase its support to Ukraine and put further pressure on Russia. She noted that it is unreasonable that EU imports of Russian goods still exceed overall EU support to Ukraine. Moreover, she emphasised that it is of vital importance to utilise frozen Russian assets through a reparations loan in order to support Ukraine, and proceed with a 20th sanctions package as soon as possible.
Discussions also touched on the horrific situation in Sudan. There was consensus among the participants that humanitarian aid must reach those in need and that the international community needs to continue to apply pressure on those responsible. In light of the events in El-Fasher, the foreign ministers decided to impose sanctions on the second in command of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Ms Malmer Stenergard also pushed for the EU to consider sanctions against the RSF’s leader, Hemedti.
In conjunction with the Foreign Affairs Council, she also took part in a donor conference for Palestine.
