"European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas appeared pessimistic again ahead of the EU foreign ministers' meeting in Copenhagen on Saturday, as the bloc's members rifted over mounting pressure on Israel amid the ongoing Gaza war. "I'm not very optimistic, because even the option that we propose, which is quite a lenient one when it comes to their participation in the Horizon programme, even there we don't have a qualified majority together," Kallas told reporters, after being asked about whether the EU could find a common voice in sanctioning Israel. The VP also said she was not 'very optimistic' about the nations reaching unanimity on freezing Russian assets to support Ukraine in a similar presser. Meanwhile, several FMs have stressed the need to 'put pressure on' Israel to cease its actions in Gaza and halt the blockade on humanitarian aid, specifically through sanctions, embargoes, and facilitate a two-state solution between Tel Aviv and Palestine. "We are ready to suspend parts of the Horizon programme. We are ready to impose sanctions on the most extremist minister in Netanyahu's government," emphasised Danish FM Lars Lokke Rasmussen. "We also need to be able to put more pressure on and also economic sanctions on Israel because the words have not really been enough to change their attitude," remarked Norwegian counterpart Espen Barth Eide. In addition, French FM Jean-Noel Barrot and German Federal FM Johann Wadephul are set to discuss the nuclear situation in Iran, with Wadephul noting that there is 'possibility of a diplomatic solution' over imposing 'snapback' sanctions on Tehran. European nations have strongly condemned Israel's actions on the Strip, including the deaths of civilians, Tel Aviv's restrictions on the allowance of humanitarian deliveries, and most recently, the 'famine' report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) last week. While various members remain committed to diplomatic channels with Tel Aviv, some have called for bolstering economic measures to pressure Israel, with Spain most recently submitting an action plan to solve the 'famine' in Gaza and blaming the EU for its 'little' and 'late' efforts. The informal meeting of foreign ministers is held under the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, from August 29 to 30."