Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The Secretary-General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, will participate in the discussions of the leaders of the European Union countries on the sidelines of the Brussels summit, which will start today, Thursday, according to a statement issued by the NATO headquarters in the Belgian capital, and also an affirmation of what was stated in the letter of the President of the European Union, Charles Michel, to the leaders of the member states to invite them To participate in the work of the summit and included mentioning that the leaders will meet Thursday at the beginning of the day, which lasts for two days, and the meeting will be over a working lunch before the start of the summit after this afternoon
Based on what was issued by the federal institutions, the European Council will discuss the latest developments in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the European Union's continued support for Ukraine, including financial and military support.
A European statement on the eve of the summit said that since the start of the war, the EU and its member states have provided around 72 billion euros to Ukraine and its people and adopted an unprecedented set of restrictive measures against Russia.
The European Union stands firmly with Ukraine and its people, and will continue to vigorously support Ukraine's economy, society, armed forces and reconstruction in the future.
Economy
EU leaders will follow up on previous conclusions on EU industrial policy, the single market and Europe's long-term competitiveness and productivity.
European Union leaders, meeting in March 2023, discussed how to build a robust and future-proof economy that would ensure long-term prosperity. In this context, they called for ambitious measures to complement the unified market, especially the digital market and services, and to address the weaknesses revealed by the recent crises.
The leaders will touch on the economic situation in the European Union, including on how to enhance economic security and resilience. They are expected to conclude the European Semester 2023, an annual exercise for the coordination of economic, financial, employment and social policies in the European Union.
The EU is committed to taking more responsibility for its own security and increasing its ability to act independently while recognizing the transatlantic relationship and EU-NATO cooperation as key to our overall security.
In this regard, the EU leaders will assess progress made with regard to the implementation of previous conclusions, including the Versailles Declaration, in which leaders outlined measures to strengthen the EU's defense capabilities and the Strategic Compass, which defines a coherent set of measures to help secure EU interests and protect European citizens. .
The leaders are expected to provide further guidance on the EU's security and defense capabilities, particularly with regard to procurement, investment and production.
Ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11-12, the leaders will also discuss EU-NATO cooperation.
immigration
The Presidency of the Council and the European Commission will report to the European Council on the progress made in implementing the latest conclusions on migration. During the special meeting of the European Council in February 2023, EU leaders discussed migration in line with EU principles, values and fundamental rights, with a focus on:
Increase outside work
Effective control of external borders
internal aspects
Foreign relations
EU leaders will hold a strategic discussion on China.
They will also work to prepare for the upcoming EU-CELAC summit in Brussels in July, which will bring together EU leaders and leaders of the regional bloc of Latin American and Caribbean countries.