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2nd European Political Community Summit

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2nd European Political Community Summit
European leaders at the 2nd EPC Summit
Host countryMoldova
Date1 June 2023
Venue(s)Mimi Castle
CitiesBulboaca
Participants45 states
ChairMaia Sandu, President of Moldova
Follows1st
Precedes3rd
Websitehttps://epcsummit2023.md/

The Second European Political Community Summit was a meeting of the European Political Community held on 1 June 2023 at Mimi Castle, Bulboaca, 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Chișinău, Moldova.[1] It was attended by forty-five heads of states and governments, as well as leaders of European Union institutions.[2][3]

Aims

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The focus of discussions for the summit included securing key infrastructure such as pipelines, cables, and satellites; stepping up the fight against cyberattacks, creating a support fund for Ukraine, working out a common, pan-European energy policy and looking into the possibility of having more university and student exchanges.[4]

In the official statement announcing the date of the summit, Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated that the discussions will include "joint efforts for peace, in the context of the war in Ukraine and related crises, the defense of democracy, the strengthening of energy security and the resilience of European states".[5]

According to the official website for the summit, the main focus of discussions was to be on the following three topics: joint efforts for peace and security; energy resilience and climate action; and interconnections in Europe for a better connected and more stable continent.[6]

Preparation

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Mimi Castle hosted the 2nd EPC summit on 1 June 2023

A brainstorming session on the future shape of the European Political Community was held by Moldovan foreign minister Nicu Popescu in Paris on 22 November 2022.[7] Preparations and agendas for the summit were further discussed at a meeting of OSCE foreign ministers in Łódź, Poland in December 2022.[8] On 12 January 2023, it was announced by Moldovan President Maia Sandu, that the summit would be held on 1 June 2023.[9][10][5] On 21 January 2023, it was confirmed that San Marino has joined the European Political Community and will be attending the summit.[11] A preparatory meeting for the summit, involving officials from the participating states, was held on 26 January 2022 at the headquarters of the European Council in Brussels.[12] On 3 February 2023, Popescu announced that the venue for the summit had been decided upon and would be made public in due course.[13][14] Popescu discussed arrangements and preparations for the summit on the fringes of a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 20 February 2023.[15] On 2 March 2023, it was announced that the summit would take place at Mimi Castle, a private winery 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Chișinău.[16] It has been reported that the heads of government of Andorra and Monaco will also attend this summit.[17][18] On 17 March 2023, French president Emmanuel Macron spoke to Moldovan president Maia Sandu and reassured her that in the face of Russia's hybrid-war against her country, France would provide all necessary support requested to facilitate the organization of the summit.[19] An official website, Twitter account and Facebook account for the summit were launched on 27 April 2023.[20] On 21 May 2023, the large pro-European rally European Moldova National Assembly took place in Chișinău.[21] On 22 May 2023, Moldovan media celebrated the existence of a dedicated Wikipedia article about the summit, believing it represents "recognition of the importance of the event, both at the international political level and among the population".[22] A final preparatory meeting took place at the headquarters of the European Council in Brussels on 26 May 2023[23] and a pre-summit press briefing took place there on 30 May 2023.[24] Moldova released a commemorative postage stamp to mark the summit.[25]

Schedule and agenda

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The summit took place on 1 June 2023 and was structured as follows (EET):[26]

Participants

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Countries that were invited to the summit
Moldovan president Maia Sandu chaired the plenary session of the summit
Fringe meeting at the 2nd European Political Community Summit
Informal discussions at the 2nd European Political Community Summit

The summit was attended by the heads of state or government of the states participating in the European Political Community along with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Parliament. Forty-seven heads of states or governments were invited to attend.[40][41] On the eve of the summit, it was announced that Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would not be able to attend.[42] The head of government of San Marino, Luca Beccari, was unable to attend as he was on a visit to Cuba.[43]

The following heads of state or government attended the summit:[44]

Key
Non-EU member
Member Represented by Title
Albania Albania Edi Rama Prime Minister
Andorra Andorra Xavier Espot Zamora Prime Minister
Armenia Armenia Nikol Pashinyan Prime Minister
Austria Austria Karl Nehammer Chancellor
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev President
Belgium Belgium Alexander De Croo Prime Minister
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Željka Cvijanović Chairwoman of the Presidency
Bulgaria Bulgaria Rumen Radev President
Croatia Croatia Andrej Plenković Prime Minister
Cyprus Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides President
Czech Republic Czech Republic Petr Fiala Prime Minister
Denmark Denmark Mette Frederiksen Prime Minister
Estonia Estonia Kaja Kallas Prime Minister
Finland Finland Sanna Marin Prime Minister
France France Emmanuel Macron President
Georgia (country) Georgia Irakli Garibashvili Prime Minister
Germany Germany Olaf Scholz Chancellor
Greece Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou President
Hungary Hungary Viktor Orbán Prime Minister
Iceland Iceland Katrín Jakobsdóttir Prime Minister
Republic of Ireland Ireland Leo Varadkar Taoiseach
Italy Italy Giorgia Meloni Prime Minister
Kosovo Kosovo Vjosa Osmani President
Latvia Latvia Krišjānis Kariņš Prime Minister
Liechtenstein Liechtenstein Daniel Risch Prime Minister
Lithuania Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda President
Luxembourg Luxembourg Xavier Bettel Prime Minister
Malta Malta Robert Abela Prime Minister
Moldova Moldova Maia Sandu (host) President
Monaco Monaco Pierre Dartout Minister of State
Montenegro Montenegro Jakov Milatović President
Netherlands Netherlands Mark Rutte Prime Minister
North Macedonia North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski Prime Minister
Norway Norway Jonas Gahr Støre Prime Minister
Poland Poland Mateusz Morawiecki Prime Minister
Portugal Portugal António Costa Prime Minister
Romania Romania Klaus Iohannis President
Serbia Serbia Aleksandar Vučić President
Slovakia Slovakia Ľudovít Ódor Prime Minister
Slovenia Slovenia Robert Golob Prime Minister
Spain Spain Pedro Sánchez Prime Minister
Sweden Sweden Ulf Kristersson Prime Minister
Switzerland Switzerland Alain Berset President
Ukraine Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy President
United Kingdom United Kingdom Rishi Sunak Prime Minister
European Union European Union Charles Michel
Ursula von der Leyen
Roberta Metsola
Josep Borrell 		President of the European Council
President of the European Commission
President of the European Parliament
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Outcomes

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Moldova's security

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Main article: European Union Partnership Mission in Moldova

On 24 April 2023, European Union member states agreed to deploy a Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) civilian mission to Moldova to help the country deal with hybrid threats it faces as a result of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The mission was formally launched during the summit.[45][46]

Moldovan president Maia Sandu has stated that the hosting of the summit in the country will help ensure security by sending a clear message that "Moldova has numerous and powerful friends, who support us in our desire to maintain peace and stability" and that "in these difficult times, when Russia continues to wage an inhumane war against Ukraine, the diplomatic support provided by this event is invaluable.[41]

The summit coincided with an €87m contribution to non-military logistical aid from the European Peace Facility.[47][48] The equipment provided includes drones, laptops, explosive ordnance disposal equipment, ultrasound machines, personal protection and surgical kits.[49]

Ukraine's security

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Main article: Russian invasion of Ukraine

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the summit in person, having spoken at the previous summit via video link. He used his address at the main plenary session to ask for more aid and weapons adding that his country was prepared to join the European Union and NATO as quickly as possible. He also asked for interim security guarantees for both Ukraine and Moldova, proposals that were supported by France and Germany. Lithuanian president Gitanas Nauseda, who will host the next NATO summit in July 2023, urged the alliance to adopt a clear road map for Ukraine's accession.[50][51]

Kosovo–Moldova relations

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Host nation Moldova has not recognized the independence of Kosovo and usually refused admission to holders of Kosovar passports which could have led to issues with delegates from Kosovo attending the summit. However, in the lead up to the summit, legislation was progressed in the Moldovan parliament to acknowledge that Kosovar passports are valid travel documents allowing holders to apply for electronic visas to enter Moldova.[52]

Armenia–Azerbaijan relations

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Main article: Armenia–Azerbaijan relations

A meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev with Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, Charles Michel was held at the summit, building on progress made at negotiations held in Prague in October 2022, in five meetings in Brussels, and at a May 2023 meeting in Washington.[53][54][55] A similar meeting at the previous summit in October 2022, led to the deployment of a European Union mission to help monitor the border between the two countries. The leaders of both countries met in Moscow on 25 May 2023 and it was reported by Reuters that further progress towards a peace agreement could be made at the summit.[56][57] At the summit, discussions focused on the unblocking of regional transport, economic infrastructure, border delimitation and security, the rights and security of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, and prisoners of war and missing persons. Both agreed to meet again on 21 July in Brussels.[58][59]

Kosovo–Serbia relations

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Main article: Kosovo–Serbia relations

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has announced that on Thursday, June 1, he will hold separate meetings with the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, and President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić.[60] Macron and Scholz were also able to organize a face to face meeting between Vučić and Osmani on the fringes of the summit.[61] These meetings are being convened in response to the 2022–2023 North Kosovo crisis. The crisis reached its peak on Monday 29 May when KFOR peacekeeping troops were attacked by a group of violent protesters, whom the Kosovo government claims to be "Serbian criminal gangs".[60][62] Following the summit, Macron and Scholz suggested that new elections could be held in four ethnic Serb majority municipalities in northern Kosovo as a way resolve the crisis. In her post-summit press briefing, Osmani stated that the law on municipal self-governance in Kosovo allows for a recall election to be held in a municipality if 20% of the registered electors in that municipality sign a petition requesting one and that a solution to the crisis was close. Vučić stated that ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo wanted to see the withdrawal of special Kosovo Police units from the area and did not want to be ruled by "illegal mayors". Macron said they had asked both sides to come back next week with "clear answers".[63]

Migration to the United Kingdom

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During the summit, British prime minister Rishi Sunak stated that he would ensure "tackling migration is firmly on the international agenda",[64] added that he would "take the lead" on the issue and vowed to "stop the boats".[65][66][67] Some media outlets in the UK reported that Sunak was meeting with "EU leaders" at an "asylum summit"[68] and GB News referred to the summit as the "Moldova migrant meeting".[69] UK Media also stated that that migration was "top of the agenda"[70][71] when in fact, immigration and asylum were not on the published agenda at all.[72][73]

See also

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References

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  2. ^ "Informal meeting of heads of state or government, Prague, 6–7 October 2022". www.consilium.europa.eu. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
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  6. ^ "Home page | European Political Community Summit". epcsummit2023.md.
  7. ^ Popescu, Nicu [@nicupopescu] (22 November 2022). "Productive brainstorming session in Paris today on the shape and the future of the European Political Community. Grateful to @ecfr & @markhleonard for bringing bright minds together and to @francediplo for providing a historic Quai d'Orsay venue to encourage innovative thinking. https://t.co/vGqlGOi7yQ" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 February 2023 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "The Summit of the European Political Community will be hosted next year by the Republic of Moldova". moldova1.md. 4 December 2022.
  9. ^ Sandu, Maia [@sandumaiamd] (12 January 2023). "Invitations for the 2nd Summit of the European Political Community are out today! On June 1st, we will host in #Chisinau 47 heads of states, governments, and EU institutions. Looking forward to seeing everyone in 🇲🇩 Moldova" (Tweet). Retrieved 23 February 2023 – via Twitter.
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  11. ^ Šefčovič, Maroš [@MarosSefcovic] (20 January 2023). "We're strengthening our partnerships with countries sharing the same values. Glad that San Marino will join the European Political Community meeting in June. A future Association Agreement will be an additional boost for 🇪🇺🇸🇲 relations. Honoured to have met the Captains Regent. https://t.co/L2KlsCDATG" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023 – via Twitter.
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  52. ^ Витанова, Елена (16 March 2023). "Молдова не признает Косово из-за Приднестровья. Но собирается разрешить въезд по паспортам Косово. Это как?".
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  65. ^ "Prime Minister: The security of our borders must be Europe's top priority".
  66. ^ Fisher, Lucy; Parker, George (31 May 2023). "Sunak to urge European leaders to tackle irregular migration". Financial Times.
  67. ^ "Rishi Sunak prioritises illegal migration in European talks". BBC News. 1 June 2023.
  68. ^ @jakedelorme_ (2 June 2023). "This will no doubt be re-iterated by 🇪🇺 leaders at the second edition of the European Political Community in Moldova, on the 🇺🇦 border" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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  72. ^ EPC Background Brief consilium.europa.eu
  73. ^ "Rishi Sunak 'annoys folk across EU' with claim about European leaders' summit". 2 June 2023.
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