EU leaders on Wednesday (8 April) welcomed the Pakistan-brokered two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, describing it as an important step towards de-escalation.
Ahead of negotiations, due to be held in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad within the next fifteen days, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said:
“I welcome the two-week ceasefire the US and Iran agreed last night. It brings much needed de-escalation”, adding that it was crucial negotiations continue towards an enduring solution.
European Council President António Costa urged “all parties to uphold its terms in order to achieve sustainable peace in the region”.
Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, described the agreement as “a step back from the brink after weeks of escalation”. She added: “It creates a much-needed chance to tone down threats, stop missiles, restart shipping, and create space for diplomacy towards a lasting agreement.”
French President Emmanuel Macron called for Lebanon to be included in the deal. While the Israeli military said it had ceased fire in its campaign against Iran, it added that in Lebanon its forces are continuing “combat and ground operations” against Hezbollah.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez struck a more cautious tone, saying his administration “will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket”. He added: “Ceasefires are always good news – especially if they lead to a just and lasting peace. But this momentary relief cannot make us forget the chaos, the destruction, and the lives lost.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed the ceasefire and called for a permanent end to the conflict. The goal now is “to negotiate a durable end to the war in the next days,” he said in a statement, adding: “This can only be achieved by diplomacy.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is travelling to the Gulf on Wednesday (8 April), wrote on X: “Together with our partners we must do all we can to support and sustain this ceasefire, turn it into a lasting agreement and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.”
Source: commonspace.eu with Reuters, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera
