By Andreas Kißler
BERLIN (Dow Jones)–At EU summit According to the federal government, on Thursday and Friday next week the main focus will be on the war in Ukraine. “The European Council will deal in particular with the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine,” said deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner at a press conference in Berlin. The summit will also discuss the situation in the Middle East. In addition, the European Commission’s enlargement package will be an important issue. “In a mirror image,” it will then also be about the EU’s closely linked internal reform process.
In this context, however, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called for the start of accession negotiations with Ukraine to be removed from the meeting’s agenda. According to Büchner, another central topic should be an adjustment of the multi-annual financial framework as part of the mid-term review. “We support a rapid agreement,” emphasized the deputy government spokesman. “The priority for the Federal Government is to provide sustained support for Ukraine.”
The topics of security and defense as well as migration would also be discussed. In addition, a strategic, future-oriented discussion about relations with Turkey is important to Germany in its foreign relations, explained Büchner. According to his information, Scholz will take part in the summit on both days and also at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Brussels from Wednesday afternoon. In addition to the 27 EU member states, the six partner countries of the Western Balkans, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo, are invited. The cooperation should be further deepened.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 08, 2023 06:35 ET (11:35 GMT)