NEW YORK CITY: The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, on Monday warned that the war in the Middle East is “no longer regional” as attacks on infrastructure in the Gulf underscore a widening spillover with implications for global energy security and international law.
Following a recent visit to the region, Kallas said key civilian and energy assets had come under strain.
“Their roads, airports, hotels, energy infrastructure and other civilian infrastructure have been hit by the same tools that wreak havoc in Ukraine,” she told the UN Security Council in New York.
She cautioned that the instability affecting major shipping lanes was intensifying, highlighting growing risks in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil supplies.
“What is happening today in the Strait of Hormuz is the clearest call yet for a strong international coalition on maritime security,” Kallas said, as she stressed the need to ensure “safe passage for all shipments via this route,” in line with the principals of international law.
She warned that the economic consequences were already being felt worldwide.
“Citizens, from Europe to Asia, are suffering from higher energy prices,” she said, adding that the crisis was exposing vulnerabilities in global trade routes and energy dependencies.
“The war in the Middle East has caused immense instability and cost far too many lives. It is no longer regional. Its effects ripple worldwide.”
The erosion of international norms is a central aspect of the crisis, Kallas said.
“Today we are witnessing the gravest violation and breakdown of international law since the Second World War,” she continued, warning that rules governing the use of force “are being broken today with impunity.”
She reiterated that international law permits the use of force only in self-defense or with the authorization of the UN Security Council, and cautioned that continuing violations risk further destabilization of an already volatile region.
“The crises in Europe and the Middle East represent the clearest sign yet of an abandonment of the old rules,” she said.
