{"id":15713,"date":"2023-06-02T09:33:36","date_gmt":"2023-06-02T06:33:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=15713"},"modified":"2023-06-02T09:33:41","modified_gmt":"2023-06-02T06:33:41","slug":"european-political-community-leaders-gather-in-moldova-for-security-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/european-political-community-leaders-gather-in-moldova-for-security-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"European Political Community leaders gather in Moldova for security summit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Leaders from 47 European countries gathered in Chisinau, Moldova, to participate in the second summit of the European Political Community on June 1, 2023. Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, Armenia\u2019s ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan, and rising tensions in the Balkans remained the focus of the meeting.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The informal concept of the European Political Community (EPC) was established one year ago when French President Emmanuel Macron proposed the idea. In addition to the 27 EU member states, EPC includes 17 other European countries including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iceland, Moldova, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The only two European nations not invited to join the EPC are Russia and its neighboring ally Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Russia is not here,” the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said during the summit, “not because we don’t want to invite Russia, but because Putin’s Russia has excluded itself from this community by launching this war against Ukraine.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The host of the summit, Moldovan President Maia Sandu, said there was something not right about being in such peaceful surroundings while a war raged just kilometers away. She said it was her goal to reestablish a peaceful atmosphere across Europe\u00a0as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Europe’s leaders gathered at Mimi Castle in Bulboaca for a family photo during the EPC Moldova summit held on June 1, 2023. (Image Credit: EPC Moldova\/Twitter)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

During her speech at the summit, Sandu thanked Zelenskyy for not only defending his country but hers and the rest of Europe, as well. “Ukraine keeps Moldova safe today, and we’re very, very grateful for that,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being the second-poorest country in Europe, after Ukraine, Moldova does not have any significant army and is bound to military neutrality by its constitution, exposing the former Soviet Union state\u2019s vulnerable situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Ukraine pushes for EU and NATO membership<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to neighboring Moldova to participate in the gathering of the European leaders. Dressed in his signature military-inspired outfit, the Ukrainian President continued his unrelenting quest for more weapons, political support, and security backing. Zelenskyy pushed the NATO member states to accept Ukraine\u2019s application to be a part of the largest military alliance. He said that during a NATO summit scheduled for July, a \u201cclear invitation to the membership for Ukraine is needed, and the security guarantees on the way to NATO membership are needed.\u201d He added that Ukraine needs \u201ca clear positive decision\u201d on its accession to the EU by the fall of this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NATO leaders are set to meet in Lithuania in July this year, while the European Union\u2019s annual summit is scheduled in October. Zelenskyy wants to receive a full commitment from the NATO and EU leaders on his country\u2019s membership in the upcoming summits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Moldova to participate in European Political Community Summit. (Image Credit: Twitter)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUkraine has made impressive progress on its EU path. We are by your side. We will work hard together to reach this goal,\u201d European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised during the ECP summit. French President Emmanuel Macron said that NATO\u2019s upcoming summit would provide \u201cnew credible guarantees and a clear perspective to Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presence of the leaders from the two clashing states, Armenia and Azerbaijan, was utilized by the leaders of the European Political Community to conduct an informal meeting mediated by France, Germany, and the head of the European Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had the occasion to address all the topics we had discussed in Brussels in May, including connectivity, border delimitation, and the peace treaty,\u201d said European Council President Charles Michel following the meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glad to host @presidentaz<\/a> to discuss our deepening \ud83c\uddf2\ud83c\udde9-\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddff partnership. We are glad to see active cooperation in the economic, agricultural & energy sectors. Looking forward to further strengthening our ties. pic.twitter.com\/xd712s2awJ<\/a><\/p>— Maia Sandu (@sandumaiamd) May 31, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>