Budapest (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – European leaders are assembling in Budapest for two back-to-back meetings on the future of the EU.
European Political Community convokes today on 7 Nov 2024 in Budapest. The fifth meeting of the European Political Community will bring together heads from across the continent in Budapest, Hungary. 47 leaders of state and government are invited to take part in this fifth session of the European Political Community.
What security issues will the European political community discuss?
The leaders will examine Europe’s security challenges, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the continued escalation in the Middle East, irregular migration and problems related to economic security and connectivity in terms of energy, transport, IT and global trade as well as challenges posed by Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The co-host of this meeting is right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and his country currently also holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union. In his invitation note to the Hungarian EPC summit, European Council President Charles Michel noted that the world’s crises — he lists Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, violence in the Middle East, confrontation and instability in Africa, a weakened global economy and fluctuating migration — are “putting peace, stability and prosperity at risk in our region.”
Will Orban’s leadership influence the outcomes of the eu summit?
Moreover, Viktor Orban has lined up further diplomatic impulses, with reports indicating he has made arrangements for president-elect Trump to join EU leaders via a video link. EU diplomats had already strongly denied this proposal during preparations for the summit. Orban reacted to this by threatening to withdraw a planned video conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It’s unclear whether the latter will now journey to the summit in person instead.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy hopes to persuade members of the EPC and the EU to send his country more support should the US withdraw its financial and military backing for Ukraine in January when Trump is expected to assume office. On the campaign trail, Trump had already announced such purposes.
