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EU Expands IRINI Mission, Extends Mandate to 2029

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 4:24 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

EU officials announced the IRINI naval mission will expand into a broader Mediterranean security operation.
The draft Council decision extends IRINI’s mandate to 31 March 2029 with a €16.88 million budget.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the mission will now board ships linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
EU ambassadors green-lighted the expanded mandate, with formal adoption set for the 9 October Finance Ministers meeting.

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Story summary

EU officials announced the IRINI naval mission will expand into a broader Mediterranean security operation.
The draft Council decision extends IRINI’s mandate to 31 March 2029 with a €16.88 million budget.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the mission will now board ships linked to Russia’s shadow fleet.
EU ambassadors green-lighted the expanded mandate, with formal adoption set for the 9 October Finance Ministers meeting.