Brussels: SiltaNews – News Desk
The European Council will hold an informal meeting of Heads of State or Government on 23rd-24th April, in Nicosia, Cyprus, to discuss developments in the Middle East crisis and the future of the European Union’s long-term budget.
In an invitation letter, European Council President António Costa asked leaders of the bloc’s 27 member states to attend, saying that the first day will include a video address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine, followed by discussions on Iran and the Middle East.
“The focus of our informal European Council meeting will be twofold: we will address the challenging geopolitical environment and Europe’s response to it, and we will also provide political guidance for the work on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034, to prepare the ground for an agreement by the end of this year,” President Costa said.
The summit will focus on Europe’s contribution to de-escalation and peace in the region, as well as to the freedom of navigation, and addressing the effects of high fossil fuel prices on citizens and companies. It will also discuss the Union’s readiness to respond to the challenging geopolitical and security environment. This could include aspects related to Article 42(7) TEU, in light of ongoing work.
President Costa added, “In our working session on Friday, 24th April, we will address the next MFF, a discussion we had foreseen for March, but had to postpone. It has since only become more urgent. We need to have an open discussion about how we can match our ambitions with the appropriate level of financing, including the importance of New Own Resources.
“At the same time, I would like us to discuss the contribution of the new EU long-term budget to our competitiveness agenda, because it will be the main instrument at our disposal for common strategic action. We will come back to the MFF regularly during 2026 to create the conditions for a timely agreement.” Following the meeting, EU leaders will engage with regional partners to discuss developments in the Middle East and explore opportunities for cooperation.
“Our meeting in Cyprus comes at a crucial moment for the European Union’s agenda: it will allow us to revisit the implementation of the decisions that came out of the March European Council, namely in the field of energy; it will provide a moment for coordination and further political guidance in light of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and its impact on European economies; and it will be an important milestone on the way to an agreement on the next Multiannual Financial Framework,” Costa concluded.