Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt’s Sisi joins EU‑called emergency meeting, urges halt to regional escalation
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al‑Sisi on Monday took part via video conference in an emergency meeting convened by the European Union to discuss rising tensions in the Middle East, the presidency said.
The meeting included leaders and officials from Gulf Cooperation Council states, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Armenia and Azerbaijan, alongside the presidents of the European Council and the European Commission.
According to the Egyptian presidency’s spokesperson, participants stressed the need to stop the escalation and work toward a peaceful settlement that would restore stability to the region. They also rejected attacks on Gulf countries, Jordan and Iraq, and underscored respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states concerned.
The leaders discussed the economic and humanitarian fallout from the crisis and ways to increase coordination between the EU and regional states to curb escalation and push conflicting parties toward political dialogue.
The spokesperson added that the meeting highlighted the need to support Lebanon and back the Lebanese government’s efforts to ensure weapons are held solely by the state. Participants also stressed the importance of safeguarding energy routes, supply chains and maritime passages.
In his address to the meeting, Sisi reiterated Egypt’s long‑standing call for de‑escalation and regional stability. He condemned attacks on Arab states and urged immediate compliance with international law and humanitarian law.
Sisi warned that unresolved Middle East crises, including nuclear proliferation issues, risk driving the region into repeated cycles of confrontation. He recalled Cairo’s diplomatic role in brokering confidence‑building steps between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency during talks hosted in Egypt in September 2025.
The president said Egypt continues to press all sides to return to diplomacy and avoid widening the conflict, citing the consequences for global energy security, trade routes and the economic recovery of developing countries.
Sisi also voiced support for the EU’s role in promoting peaceful solutions and reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to close coordination under their strategic partnership.
Failure to end the crisis peacefully, he said, would undermine the international rules‑based order and weaken confidence in global institutions.
Sisi urged strong backing for Lebanon to preserve its stability and avoid further deterioration, warning against any Israeli military operation or strikes on Lebanese infrastructure. He also emphasized the need to prevent attacks on Syrian territory and to uphold Syria’s sovereignty at a time of heightened regional tensions.
Egypt, he said, will continue working with all parties to contain the crisis and protect the region’s peoples from further instability.