European Union (EU) foreign ministers will meet in the Belgian capital Brussels on Thursday to discuss the situation in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.

The ministers are expected to discuss how to help Kiev prepare for winter in the wake of Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy lines, and how to continue efforts following the international peace conference held in Switzerland last June.

Increased military assistance to Ukraine will also be discussed, including the EU’s new financial instrument, the Ukraine Assistance Fund.

The general session on the Middle East is expected to include a discussion of the situation in Gaza and the West Bank and the search for ways to minimise conflict.

Ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a prisoner exchange and ceasefire efforts in Gaza will be discussed, as well as the impact of the situation in Lebanon and the need to support it.