The European Commission has officially suspended defense consultations with Rwanda, citing escalating tensions that risk spilling into a regional conflict. The decision was announced following a high-level meeting of the Commission earlier today.
In a statement delivered by Kaja Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the executive body expressed deep concern over what it called Rwanda’s military activities in the region.
“The situation is very tense and on the brink of a regional conflict,” Kallas warned. “Defense consultations with Rwanda have been suspended. There is also a political decision to implement sanctions based on the situation on the ground.”
It also called on Kigali to withdraw its troops from contested areas, though specific locations were not mentioned in the official statement. The presence of Rwandan forces in neighboring DRC which Kigali denies, has been a sticky issue in the nack and forth between Kigali and Brussels.Start slideshow
The Commission is the executive branch of the EU responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, managing day-to-day operations, and upholding EU treaties.
In addition, Kallas announced that the Memorandum of Understanding on Critical Raw Materials—an agreement facilitating trade in essential minerals between Rwanda and the EU—will be reassessed. This deal is considered vital for Europe’s access to resources used in advanced technology manufacturing and could be suspended if the situation worsens.
Regional analysts caution that deteriorating relations between the European Commission and Rwanda could have broader geopolitical consequences, particularly since Rwanda.
The European Commission has not provided a timeline for further diplomatic engagements, leaving future negotiations dependent on Kigali’s actions in the coming weeks.
