Russia has so far been the only winner from the war in the Middle East as energy prices soar and attention for its war against Ukraine has faded, EU Council President Antonio Costa said on Tuesday (March 10) in a speech to EU ambassadors in Brussels.

Russia gains new resources to finance its war against Ukraine as energy prices rise, Costa said, adding that it also profits from the diversion of military capabilities "that could otherwise have been sent to support Ukraine". The EU Council head said that Russia benefitted from reduced attention to the Ukrainian front "as the conflict in the Middle East takes centre stage".

Costa stressed the need for the EU to protect the international rules-based order, which he said was now being challenged by the United States, and for all parties in the Middle East to return to the negotiating table.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANTONIO COSTA ADDRESSING EU AMBASSADORS CONFERENCE

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (MARCH 10, 2026) (EUROPEAN UNION - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANTONIO COSTA ON STAGE

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT, ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING:

"So far, there is only one winner in this war: Russia. It steadily undermines Ukraine's position by flouting international law. It gains new resources to finance its war against Ukraine as energy prices rise. It profits from the diversion of military capabilities that could otherwise have been sent to support Ukraine. And it benefits from the reduced attention to the Ukrainian front as the conflict in the Middle East takes centre stage."

3. VARIOUS OF COSTA SPEAKING

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT, ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING:

"We know the new reality—a reality in which Russia violates peace, China disrupts trade, and the United States challenges the international rules-based order. In this new reality, what should be the mission of the European Union? First, we must defend the rules-based international order. We must uphold the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, as outlined in our treaties. Violations of international law must not be accepted, whether in Ukraine, Greenland, Latin America, Africa, in Gaza or in the Middle East."

5. VARIOUS OF COSTA SPEAKING

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT, ANTONIO COSTA, SAYING:

"The European Union calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and return to the negotiating table. The European Union stands with the long-suffering people of Iran. We support their right to live in peace and determine their own future. We believe that human rights and freedoms must be fully respected. But freedom and human rights cannot be achieved through bombs. Only international law upholds them."

7. COSTA SPEAKING

8. COSTA ON STAGE