What happened
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on 1 June 2026 and co-chaired the 8th Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, capping a visit Brussels cast as a sign of Pakistan’s growing strategic weight.
At a joint press conference after the dialogue, Kallas called Pakistan “a major regional power and an important partner for the European Union” and singled out Islamabad’s diplomacy over the war between the United States and Iran.
“Pakistan has been the main mediator between the United States and Iran,” she said, adding that Pakistani efforts had helped prevent a return to full-scale war on several occasions and were “much recognised and appreciated across Europe”.
Kallas, who is also a vice-president of the European Commission, said there was a fragile opening to extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that any interim understanding had to be followed by broader negotiations, including on Iran’s nuclear programme.
Why it matters
The visit was the first by an EU foreign policy chief in several years and placed Pakistan at the centre of European diplomacy over the Gulf crisis. Kallas said the EU remained Pakistan’s largest export destination, “larger than China and the US combined”, and noted that Pakistan is the world’s leading beneficiary of the EU’s GSP+ trade scheme, a status tied to progress on governance, environmental, labour and human rights conventions.
The two sides said they would widen cooperation on climate resilience, clean energy, digital infrastructure, migration and education. Kallas praised Pakistani students for again taking the highest number of Erasmus Mundus scholarships globally, while Dar put annual Pakistan-EU trade at about €12 billion and described GSP+ as a “win-win template”.
On Afghanistan, Kallas urged restraint and de-escalation while recognising Pakistan’s right to protect its people under international law. She also noted that the EU remains Pakistan’s largest export market, a point already central to Pakistani exporters’ planning after earlier trade shifts, as covered in Pakistan’s push to keep GSP+ benefits.
Both sides agreed to hold the 9th Pakistan-EU Strategic Dialogue in Brussels. Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked the EU for supporting Pakistan’s peace initiatives in the Gulf and renewed invitations to European Council President Antonio Costa and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to visit Pakistan.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Figures and quotations are as carried by the cited outlet. Sources reviewed on 2026-06-01.
- Pakistan Today — "EU welcomes Pakistan's mediation in US-Iran talks as PM Shehbaz, Kallas pledge stronger strategic partnership"1 June 2026 · Reports the Kallas-Sharif meeting, the 8th Strategic Dialogue and the EU praise for Pakistan's mediation.
- Dawn — "PM reaffirms EU ties, thanks Kallas for support for Gulf peace efforts"1 June 2026 · Reports the Prime Minister's Office statement on the meeting.
