Brussels, 7 November 2024 (MIA) – Developments in Ukraine and the Middle East will be the main topics of Thursday’s fifth European Political Community Summit in Budapest, in which Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski will also participate.

The event, hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, brings together 47 heads of state or government from Europe as well as an EU delegation, including European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.

On the eve of the Summit, it was reported that reportedly Organ on the sidelines will organize a meeting of Mickoski with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. The Macedonian premier, however, stated that no such meeting has been agreed, insisting that he is indeed prepared for talks.

“I’m prepared to talk to anyone, anywhere, based on a real agreement that will lead us to the goal,” he stated yesterday. 

Mickoski expressed his preparedness for talks also in mid-October, when it was also reported by some media outlets that he could meet with Radev in Budapest.

“It doesn’t have to be Budapest, it could be anywhere where we could sit down and talk to find a solution in the long run guaranteeing the Copenhagen criteria, guaranteeing rights and guaranteeing success in the negotiations process,” stated Mickoski.  

Today’s Budapest summit is expected to focus on the main security challenges affecting Europe, caused by ongoing conflicts, mainly the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the escalating violence in the Middle East. 

There will be separate sessions on migration, economic security as well as on energy-related issues, transport, information technology and global trade. 

All six Western Balkan countries have been invited to attend in addition to the 27 EU countries as well as Andorra, Azerbaijan, Great Britain, Armenia, Georgia, Island, Lichtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Turkey, Ukraine and Switzerland. 

The decision to establish the European Political Community was reached at the 2022 EU Summit in order to bring together the countries in the European continent, to stimulate political dialogue and cooperation through issues of common interest and to strengthen security, stability and prosperity in Europe amid the dramatic consequences from the Russian aggression against Ukraine.  

This format serves as a platform for political coordination that will not replace any existing organization, structure or process.

Prague hosted the first summit of the European Political Community in October 2022. The second one was held in Chișinău in June 2023 followed by Granada in October 2023. Earlier this year, the fourth summit took place in Blenheim Palace near Oxford. 

MIA file photo