Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met today in Brussels with his peers in the European Union at the invitation of the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell.
Borrell had extended Lapid the invitation to participate at the July 12 monthly Foreign Affairs Council shortly after the Israeli minister took office. On June 14, Borrell called Lapid, tweeting afterward, "Spoke to Yair Lapid to warmly congratulate him for his appointment as new alternate prime minister and foreign minister. Discussed the importance of strengthening the bilateral partnership and promoting security and peace in the region. Looking forward to working together and welcoming you soon in Brussels." Since then, diplomats in Brussels and Jerusalem have been busy setting up a visit, the first time in over a decade for an Israeli foreign minister to participate in this forum. The last Israeli foreign minister to address their European counterparts in this forum was Tzipi Livn in in 2008.
