Leaders from more than 40 European countries are gathering in Dublin for a summit focused on the continent’s security, at a time when renewed efforts are underway to revive negotiations aimed at ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the meeting is taking place amid significant political changes across Europe, including the removal of populist leaders in Serbia and Hungary.
Serbia is represented at the summit by National Assembly Speaker and acting President Ana Brnabić.
The European Political Community (EPC) brings together heads of state and government from European Union member states and other European countries, including the United Kingdom. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte are also attending.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said the European Political Community provides an opportunity for European leaders to come together to advance the continent’s security, stability and prosperity.
The summit also offers Zelensky and European allies an opportunity to discuss the latest developments in negotiations over Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for nearly five years.
US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Zelensky in Dublin following their talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
A forum established after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The European Political Community was established in 2022 following an initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron and former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The platform was created after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine fundamentally changed Europe’s security environment, providing a forum for cooperation between EU and non-EU countries.
The Dublin summit comes just days after a major Republican setback in the US midterm elections weakened President Donald Trump’s political influence in Washington. It remains unclear whether the results will affect his administration’s approach to the war in Ukraine and the conflict with Iran.
Meanwhile, relations between the European Union and the United Kingdom are also being renewed, a decade after British voters decided to leave the bloc.
European security beyond the EU
The European Political Community includes nearly 50 countries across the continent, excluding Russia and Belarus. Its role as a platform for discussing European security has expanded since Trump’s return to the White House in 2024.
The US president has unsettled European leaders through criticism of NATO allies and threats to take control of Greenland, the semi-autonomous territory belonging to Denmark.
The forum meets twice a year, alternating between EU and non-EU countries. Its next gathering is scheduled for April in Switzerland.
However, critics argue that the initiative could slow the EU enlargement process by offering countries outside the bloc a place at the broader European political table without providing the benefits of full membership.
