PM highlights Middle East crisis, Euro-Turkish relations at European Council Summit
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized the importance of addressing the crisis in the Middle East during his participation in the Special European Council taking place in Brussels from Wednesday to Thursday.
Over the two-day summit, EU leaders discuss economy and competitiveness issues, Ukraine, Türkiye, the Middle East and Lebanon.
“Foremost are issues of foreign policy, as well as matters concerning the competitiveness of the European economy,” Mitsotakis said.
Regarding foreign policy, Mitsotakis stressed the need for a clear condemnation of the recent attack on Israel by Iran. “We urge all members of the European Council to do whatever is in our power to de-escalate and prevent this crisis from spreading,” he stated.
He also expressed satisfaction with the planned discussion on Lebanon’s situation, highlighting its significant challenges and the direct impact on Cyprus due to refugee flows.
Mitsotakis made a direct connection between progress in Euro-Turkish relations and progress on the Cyprus issue. “We expect that this new effort, under the new UN envoy, will finally yield results,” he stated.
Competitiveness issues of the European economy will be discussed on Thursday.
French Businessman “Henri de Castries has prepared a very interesting study on how the functioning of the single market should change,” Mitsotakis noted. “Competitiveness in Europe is not an abstract concept. It is a concept that must ultimately be linked to improving the living standards of all Europeans, something our country attaches great importance to.”
