EPG summit in Britain - European summit at Oxford - Brits seek a new start
Nearly 50 European heads of state and government come together today at Blenheim Palace in Great Britain for the summit of the European Political Community. This informal group of 27 European Union countries and other continental lands came together two years ago, shortly after Russia's attack on Ukraine. Russia and Belarus are not part of this group and have been excluded from the fourth such meeting.
The gathering takes place at the birthplace of wartime British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, near the famous university city of Oxford. Sixty years after the death of the prime minister, the one-day discussions focus mainly on security issues. The war in Ukraine, along with migration and energy security, is at the forefront of this informal summit, where no decisions are made.
Starmer seeks to repair relationship with Europe
The host is not only President of the European Council, Charles Michel, but also the new Labour government in Great Britain led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is also in attendance. King Charles III. has invited the participants to a reception in the grand State Library. In addition to many bilateral encounters, politicians meet in several working groups and plenary sessions.
For the newly elected Starmer, this is the second opportunity to prove himself on a large international stage after the NATO summit. He aims to repair the relationship with Europe after the Brexit years. Talk of a new start in the relationship with Europe is in the air.
Scholz participates in working group on migration
Starmer also seeks allies in the fight against people smugglers who transport migrants across the English Channel in small boats. The issue of migration is currently high on the agenda of many EU governments following the success of right-wing parties in the European elections.
A working group on this topic is led by the Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. Italy plans to bring tens of thousands of boat refugees to Albania to process asylum applications there. The German government is currently considering, at the request of the 16 federal states, whether a similar model is feasible for Germany. Scholz may have also registered for this working group for this reason. The host Starmer is also part of the group. He has abandoned the plans of his predecessor government to bring asylum seekers without return tickets to Rwanda.
Zelenskyy is a regular participant
The focus should be on supporting Ukraine, as was the case at previous meetings. The participants may look on with concern to the USA, where Republican Party presidential candidate Donald Trump has just appointed a hardliner, J. D. Vance, as his running mate at the party convention in Milwaukee.
Unlike summits of the European Union or NATO, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is not just a guest, but a regular participant. Also invited are the secretaries-general of the Council of Europe and the OSCE, as well as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
The summit should send a strong signal for constructive cooperation throughout Europe – and against Russian imperialism, it was stated in advance from participant circles. No closing declaration is planned, but there are several press conferences scheduled for the early evening.
Von der Leyen is not present.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is not present, as the Members of the European Parliament are deciding in the afternoon whether she can serve a second term. In the morning, she gives a speech in the Plenary in Strasbourg, and a press conference is scheduled afterwards.
- At Blenheim Palace in Great Britain, Tod, a representative from the European Political Community, joins 49 other heads of state for discussions.
- The European Union, excluding Russia and Belarus, convenes at this summit due to the conflicts in Ukraine.
- Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is eager to mend relations with the European Union following Brexit.
- Winston Churchill's birthplace serves as the backdrop for discussions on security issues, including the Ukraine conflict and migration.
- Olaf Scholz, the Federal Chancellor of Germany, attends the summit with the aim of strengthening European unity.
- Starmer seeks diplomatic alliances with other leaders to combat people smugglers transporting migrants across the English Channel.
- Giorgia Meloni and Edi Rama lead a working group on migration, with potential implications for Germany's asylum policies.
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, actively participates in the summit, seeking support for his country amid ongoing conflicts.
- European leaders gather in London to send a unified message against Russian imperialism, with no intention of releasing a closing declaration.
- Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the EU Commission, is absent from the summit as the European Parliament deliberates her potential second term.
