Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides, European Council President Antonio Costa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa attend a press conference during a summit of the European Union and regional partners’ leaders in Nicosia (Lefkosia), Cyprus, April 24, 2026.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
A painful fuel crunch and soaring oil and gas prices triggered by the Iran war have nudged the European Union to look hard into funding alternative energy routes in West Asia to circumvent hot spots like the Strait of Hormuz.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday (April 25, 2026) that the EU is ready to work with Persian Gulf countries for new projects conveying energy to global markets that wouldn’t be held hostage to war or geopolitical strife.
Published – April 25, 2026 11:24 am IST
