Jordan, EU discuss strengthening partnership, implementing Gaza ceasefire

AMMAN, Jordan / ISTANBUL

Jordan’s King Abdullah II discussed ways to deepen cooperation and partnership with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas during a meeting Sunday in Amman, the royal court said in a statement.

The statement said the talks focused on strengthening cooperation between Jordan and the EU under their strategic and comprehensive partnership agreement.

Both sides emphasized the need to build on economic opportunities, particularly through the Jordan–EU Summit, which Amman will host in January, as well as a planned joint economic forum next year that will bring together investors from both sides.

The discussions also covered regional developments, with both sides calling for a comprehensive calm in the region and respect for the sovereignty of states.

They reaffirmed that a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the only path to a just and comprehensive peace, the statement said.

King Abdullah reiterated the importance of implementing the provisions of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, ensuring the flow of humanitarian aid, and halting unilateral Israeli measures against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, according to the royal court.

A ceasefire, mediated by Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar, and backed by the US, took effect in Gaza on Oct. 10, halting a two-year Israeli war that has killed more than 70,000 people, mostly women and children, and injured over 171,000 others since October 2023.

Palestinian authorities reported daily Israeli violations of the ceasefire, killing more than 370 people and injuring around 1,000 others.

Kallas, for her part, stressed the importance of the EU’s partnership with Jordan and the shared commitment to deepening cooperation across sectors. She also highlighted Jordan’s “pivotal role in the region,” the statement said.

The statement did not specify when Kallas arrived in Jordan or how long her visit will last.

Separately, Kallas met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi to discuss preparations for the Jordan–EU Summit, set for Jan. 8 in Amman with participation from King Abdullah, European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Safadi and Kallas also discussed developments in Syria. Safadi reiterated Jordan’s support for its northern neighbor based on principles that preserve Syria’s unity, security, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on Syria and Israel’s occupation of Syrian territory as a clear violation of the UN Charter and Arab sovereignty, the ministry said.

After the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last year, Israel expanded its occupation of the Syrian Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone, a move that violated a 1974 agreement with Syria.