Granada, Oct. 5, (dpa/GNA) – About 50 European leaders are expected in Granada, Spain on Thursday as part of an expanded gathering called the European Political Community (EPC), with the focus on improving cooperation despite worsening conflicts and tensions on the continent.
The third such meeting is meant to give the countries a chance to foster dialogue beyond the borders of the 27-member European Union in the midst of challenges posed by crises such as Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The event also aims to provide opportunities for leaders to meet in smaller groups for informal talks, without the symbolism and protocols of state visits.
The recently escalating tensions between some European countries – most notably between Armenia and Azerbaijian, and between Kosovo and Serbia, all of whom are EPC participants – will put a particular spotlight on which leaders meet behind closed doors in the historic southern Spanish city.
Last month, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive to retake the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh, prompting around 100,000 Karabakh Armenians to flee.
In late September, northern Kosovo – which borders Serbia – witnessed arguably the worst outburst of violence in the last 15 years when armed perpetrators attacked Kosovo police, killing one officer.
Hopes were high that the political leaders of Serbia and Kosovo and Armenia and Azerbaijan would agree to talks, but Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was reportedly planning to abstain from the meeting.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his counterparts are expected to use the meeting as an opportunity to raise other issues including the impact of artificial intelligence as well as energy security and the transition to renewable energy.
It remains to be seen whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the meeting in person.
The summit will be followed on Friday by a meeting of the EU’s 27 leaders with talks expected to focus on enlargement and migration.
GNA