When heads of state and government from all corners of Europe meet today in Granada, Spain, a clear signal must once again be sent to the man in the Kremlin. But there is definitely potential for conflict at this special summit.
There were doubts just over a year ago when the European Political Community was founded. Another European club – what’s the point of that, critics asked, even among heads of state and government.
After all, the Council of Europe already existed, for human rights and cooperation, there was the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is responsible for maintaining peace, and – of course – the European Union with 27 members.
But French President Emmanuel Macron prevailed; the new club was his idea. After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, he demanded, it was the historic duty, not only of the EU, but of all Europeans, to remain united as a community of values. Macron also provided the name for the new format: Une Communauté Politique Européenne, a European Political Community. As a signal to Putin that Europeans, from Iceland to Italy, from Portugal to the Balkans and the Republic of Moldova, are working together. And that Russia is isolated.
Concrete cooperation beyond EU borders
But you shouldn’t keep the symbol. Concrete cooperation across EU borders remains the objective today, at the third meeting in Grenada – on issues of security, energy supply, trade facilitation, but also on very practical issues such as student and youth exchanges.
The French president did not need to mention who should not become a member of the club. Russia and Belarus did not receive an invitation.
Garnet as a contrast program
Chancellor Scholz supported Macron’s idea from the beginning. This is “a very interesting suggestion to deal with the great challenge”. The founding summit in Prague took place just a few weeks later, in October 2022. The second meeting took place even further east, in the spring of this year, in Moldova, a republic neighboring Ukraine and itself in constant fear of Russian attacks.
In this regard, Granada, in southern Spain, will now offer a contrasting program to more than 40 heads of state and government from across Europe. For the traditional family photo, they are taken by driver to the Alhambra, the city’s castle, a world cultural heritage site, an architectural highlight of Islamic art in Europe and one of the most visited tourist attractions on the continent.
Is everyone joining the anti-Putin front?
The themes of the summit will again be Eastern European themes. The situation in Ukraine comes first; they want to demonstrate unity towards Moscow again. But it is far from certain that everyone will join the anti-Putin front.
Escalation in the Caucasus should also be an issue; the EU has prepared a mediation initiative between Armenia and Azerbaijan. But nothing is likely to come of this – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev canceled the meeting at short notice. Because the sentiment among summit participants is “anti-Azerbaijan”, the dpa news agency quotes the Azerbaijani news agency APA.
There could be a problem arising for EU leaders because the EU depends on extensive gas supplies from Azerbaijan, which are intended to replace a large part of Russian gas supplies.
Conflict on the border with Kosovo is also discussed
And another problematic point will occupy the Granada summit: Serbia’s saber on the border with Kosovo. There could be an opportunity here for a direct conversation; the leaders of both countries are there.
What is special about the European Political Community could then become an advantage: allied and enemy countries come together, there is no need to make decisions, people just get together to talk.