Pause on move to freeze preferential trade pact comes amid scramble to shore up fragile ceasefire
The EU has been criticised for pausing sanctions against Israel’s government in response to Donald Trump’s peacemaking efforts in the Middle East, as the fragile ceasefire came under threat.
After meeting EU foreign ministers on Monday, the European foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced a pause on efforts to suspend preferential trade with Israel and sanctions against people responsible for fuelling the conflict on both sides.
The context had changed since the measures were proposed last month, Kallas said. Noting “divergent views”, she said ministers had agreed: "We don’t move with the measures now, but we don’t take them off the table either because the situation is fragile.”
Two former senior EU officials, speaking separately, criticised the decision not to move forward with sanctions.
