Mihkelson meets with EU Special Representative for Middle East Peace Process

TALLINN - Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian parliament, met on Friday with Christophe Bigot, the European Union's Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process.

Mihkelson stated that Bigot's work is crucial for bringing all parties together and trying to reach a solution. "The situation in the Middle East is extremely complex, and finding the right path to a solution is difficult due to many obstacles, including historical, religious, and emotional ones," he said. "We can try to take small, practical steps to reduce tensions, build trust, and alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza."

The chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee also stressed the need to recognize geopolitical connections. "If we do not provide sufficient aid to Ukraine and fail to halt Russia's advance in Europe, our work in the Middle East will also become more challenging," he noted. "Until the war in Europe ends, it is unlikely that a solution in the Middle East will draw any closer. These conflicts impact both regional and global security, and both must be addressed," Mihkelson emphasized.

During the meeting, hope was expressed that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Israel at the end of October will bring change and create more opportunities for cooperation. Both sides noted that if negotiations can lead to progress on smaller issues, it might foster a local understanding that dialogue can also pave the way for more significant changes. They affirmed that the goal is to restore peace in the Middle East, for which peace negotiations are a prerequisite.

The task of the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process is to contribute to a just and lasting resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the two-state solution and to support the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, in her work.