Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will brief his European counterparts on the Greek-French agreement on the establishment of a strategic partnership in defense and security, but also on its impact on wider geopolitical developments, as well as recent Turkish provocations, as Athens underlines that the Franco-Greek alliance strengthens the European pillar of defense for the strategic autonomy of Europe.
Mitsotakis will brief them at the EU leaders’ working dinner, as part of the informal European Council and EU – Western Balkans summit, which are taking place Tuesday and Wednesday in Brdo, Slovenia, according to government sources.
A strategic discussion on the role of the European Union on the international stage is expected to take place in the light of recent developments in Afghanistan, the AUKUS security partnership and the evolution of the EU’s relations with China. Earlier, Mitsotakis will participate in the summit of the European People’s Party (EPP).
At the EU-Western Balkans summit scheduled for Wednesday, the Prime Minister is expected to reiterate Greece’s strong support for the prospect of Western Balkans membership and the belief that a clear message of support must be sent to the candidate countries, according to the government sources.
This message was also sent a few days ago by Mitsotakis through his interview with the journalist of the “New York Times”, Steven Erlanger, stressing that “we must offer the Western Balkans a very clear European perspective. We must speak openly about enlargement â€.
The summit should underline the strategic importance of the Western Balkans for the Union and the European perspective of the region.
The agenda for the Western Balkans will be divided into two sessions:
The first session will be attended by local participants. The Regional Cooperation Council, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank will present their views. Emphasis should be placed on the implementation of the commitment to promote the socio-economic recovery and sustainable development of the region as well as the economic and investment plan for the Western Balkans.
The second session, attended by EU leaders and partners from the Western Balkans, will examine the European perspective of the region and how to deepen political dialogue, cooperation, regional stability and strengthening regional cooperation .
