President Klaus Iohannis will attend the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, the Presidential Administration informs.
According to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday, the meeting will begin with a working lunch with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, which will be an opportunity to discuss the challenges and common approaches at the level of the two organisations in the context of the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine.
Subsequently, during the working sessions, European leaders will discuss the situation in Ukraine, in the light of recent developments on the ground and in the Russian Federation, the need to maintain strong European support for Ukraine at all levels, as well as the implementation of sanctions and the continuation of efforts to hold Moscow accountable for crimes committed in Ukraine.
In continuation to those agreed at the European Council meeting in March, the leaders' discussions will also focus on progress towards ensuring the EU's long-term competitiveness and strengthening the Single Market and industrial policy, and will address issues of EU resilience and economic security. A discussion is also planned on the implementation of previous security and defence decisions, aimed at strengthening the technological and industrial base of European defence.
EU leaders will also have an exchange of views on the progress in the implementation of the February European Council Conclusions on migration, the letter sent by the President of the European Commission in preparation of this debate, including the pilot project developed by Romania at the border with Serbia as an example of concrete progress in the efficient management of EU's external border.
The European Council meeting will continue the strategic discussion on China, in the context of the EU's multi-faceted approach towards this partner, the Presidential Administration added.
In terms of foreign relations, the leaders will review the stage of preparations for the EU-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit to be held in July, as well as the European Union's relations with the Southern Neighbourhood, the EU accession process of the Western Balkans and recent developments in the Belgrade-Pristina relationship.
"In a global context marked by multiple crises, challenges and unpredictable developments, in the run-up to the European Council meeting, President Klaus Iohannis has promoted the need to reinvigorate efforts to strengthen the EU's crisis preparedness and response capacity through relevant mechanisms, in particular the Union Civil Protection Mechanism, which has consistently demonstrated its importance and added value," the Presidential Administration said.
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