European Council President Antonio Costa called for a “deeper and stronger” engagement between the 27-member bloc and the Gulf states as he concluded his tour of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar in Doha on Wednesday, “at a critical moment in the context of a fragile ceasefire and unjustifiable attacks by Iran.”The UAE and Qatar have repeatedly hailed the EU’s role in defending and supporting the Gulf during Iran’s onslaught, with Qatar saying, “this is the time when you know who your friends are”.Costa’s visit now marks the start of an energised chapter of engagement between Europe and the Gulf as the entire Middle East landscape is being reshaped by the war in Iran. In response to Euronews, the European Council president said Gulf leaders told him that “more than ever it’s important that the European Union and the Gulf cooperation countries could work together,” adding that the “EU is keen to do this”.“We are negotiating free trade agreements with some of them, there is a partnership with the others, and we are talking with all of them”, Costa told Euronews.Costa further underlined the reinforced EU trajectory towards new partnerships in the Gulf, shaped by Europe’s political and military response to the Iran war, with European fighter jets and other military capabilities deployed to defend the Gulf states against Iranian attacks.He also thanked the Gulf states for their care towards European citizens living in the region. Costa told Euronews that as a result, the EU will by the end of the year hold a second summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the region, seeking to “identify, build and have concrete deliverables” for it because “more than ever, it’s very important that we achieve this”.“We are here to support the region’s stability and security”, Costa said in Doha as the conclusion of his tour, emphasising that “the Gulf countries can count on the European Union now and in the future” and that the “European Union is a reliable and predictable partner for the Gulf.”Stable ceasefire and freedom of navigationThe EU Council president said the purpose of his visit was also “to listen to the Gulf leaders and to offer the EU’s support for two priorities,” which are securing a stable ceasefire and ensuring maritime routes are reopened.Costa’s first priority in his talks with Gulf leaders was “working towards a stable and lasting ceasefire that could pave the way to sustainable peace in the region.”“It is essential that all parties use the momentum created by the recent United States-Iran ceasefire brokered by Pakistan,” he said.The second priority is “restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz which is crucial and urgent,” according to the Council chief.“The Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea are vital arteries for the global economy, supply chains and world trade, and this war has already had disastrous consequences that are being felt all over the world, and that will only get worse with every day without a solution to this conflict,” Costa warned.“Europe is committed to help guarantee the safe and impeded passage of ships which is the objective of the coalition of countries that France and the United Kingdom are assembling with partners around the world.”The Council president pointed out that the challenges to peace are posed by Iran’s nuclear programme, but also its ballistic missile programme, as well as its support of proxies who destabilise the region, together with the blockade of international sea lanes.“This war has already had disastrous consequences that are being felt all over the world, and that will only get worse without a solution,” Costa said.Addressing the media in Doha, Costa hailed Qatar’s role as “an honest broker for peace and stability in the region proven during the war in Gaza.”The EU relies on Qatar to continue its efforts towards stabilising the ceasefire, while Doha repeatedly hailed what it calls Qatar’s “strategic partnership” with the EU, he said.The EU Council president held talks with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Wednesday, also focusing on the war in Gaza and the unfolding crisis in Lebanon.The stability of global energy markets and that of vital maritime routes for energy shipments were key aspects of the talks, Qatar’s state news agency reported, and the two leaders’ discussions focused on energy, trade and investment as part of the Qatar-EU strategic partnership.Israel-Lebanon talks to continue ‘for the sake of the people’In parallel, the European Council chief commended Lebanese President Joseph Aoun for what he called the “historic decision to ban the military activities of Hezbollah,” which poses “an existential threat to Lebanon and a destabilising factor for international peace and security. ““The European Union will continue to support Lebanon, empowering the authorities to disarm Hezbollah as it is the only sustainable solution for restoring Lebanon’s international stability”, Costa said.He further called for the Israel-Lebanon talks to continue, “to ensure the sovereignty of Lebanon … for the sake of the people and for the prospect of peace”.The Council president concluded his Gulf tour with a plea that “in these challenging times we need to uphold the international rules-based order, because the alternative is the chaos.”“This is what we have seen in Ukraine, this is what we are seeing here in the Gulf and in Iran,“ Costa concluded.Costa’s visit comes after intense engagement by EU special envoy Luigi Di Maio and EU diplomats in the Gulf, especially during the Iran war.