Reacting to his leading position in a recent political poll, Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel described it as a snapshot in time, stressing that such results should not call the coalition agreement into question. Despite favourability drops, he reaffirmed his full support for PM Luc Frieden and the coalition government, noting that public opinion always goes through ups and downs.
Turning to the worsening situation in the Middle East, Bettel called for urgent efforts to de-escalate tensions between Israel and Iran. He warned that if Iranian nuclear facilities were bombed, no one could predict the consequences. He also pointed out that if the US were to intervene militarily, it was unclear how other Arab states might react.
Bettel explained that there are currently over 100 Luxembourgish nationals in Israel and around 10 to 15 in Iran. However, only a handful in Israel have requested assistance, and none in Iran, so no major evacuation effort is underway, he noted. He added that Luxembourg is coordinating with EU partners on the situation.
Bettel said Europe’s capacity to influence global diplomacy depends entirely on unity, stating that only if the 27 member states agree can Europe carry weight. He stated that too often that is not the case and that European foreign policy has consequently no weight at the international level.
He was also critical of the current state of the United Nations, which he described as a “relic of the Second World War”. He noted that some of the five permanent members of the Security Council, namely Russia and China, are no longer acting as peacekeepers but rather as contributors to instability.
Bettel also addressed Luxembourg’s defence posture. He confirmed that the government plans to change the law that currently prohibits domestic weapons production, adding that there is no point in promoting partnerships abroad if Luxembourg cannot produce anything on site. Bettel explained that investments in defence need to contribute to jobs and capabilities at home.
He emphasised that these investments are about deterrence and resilience, not aggression, stressing that Europe must be prepared and that Luxembourg must play its part.
On the humanitarian front, Bettel condemned Israel’s obstruction of aid to Gaza and urged continued European pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. He also stressed the importance of keeping focus on other global crises, stating that, with all eyes on the Middle East, there is the risk of forgetting Ukraine and the suffering in Gaza.
On the question of recognising Palestinian statehood, Bettel argued against purely symbolic gestures, stating that recognition alone changes little. He emphasised the need for a package approach – something that leads to real change, which would then make it possible to pressure Israel to change its policies.
