Ilayda Cakirtekin
22 July 2026•Update: 22 July 2026
The repercussions of the Middle East conflict could extend beyond "the headlines," including by disrupting global energy markets and creating long-term economic uncertainty, warned the EU foreign policy chief on Wednesday.
"Conflict in the Middle East has thrown global energy markets into disarray, and the consequences will outlast the headlines. Every economy feels this, but few as sharply as Southeast Asia," Kaja Kallas said during an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers' meeting in Manila, the Philippines’ capital.
Fuel, fertilizer, food and freight prices are all rising simultaneously, pushing inflation higher while weighing on economic growth, she said.
"The dire situation in Gaza merits all our support," Kallas also said.
She further reiterated the EU's support for Ukraine and stressed their determination to increase defense readiness in the face of Russia.
"I ask you to join our calls to Russia to stop the killing in Ukraine and engage in talks genuinely to reach the ceasefire and then just and lasting peace. It is exactly at moments like this that the partnerships like ours stop being nice to have and becomes essential," Kallas said.
On the European and Asian blocs, she said: "The EU has long been a reliable partner to ASEAN. It is now becoming increasingly active one, and this will only increase as our partnership grows.”
Brunei, the coordinator between ASEAN and the EU, said the increasingly complex global environment requires strong partnerships, as countries can achieve more together than acting alone.
He said ASEAN and the EU are well placed to leverage this advantage, advance shared interests, and deliver tangible benefits for their peoples.
