Erdogan to Join EU Summit in Prague

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the informal EU summit which will start in Prague on Thursday, Turkish Ambassador to the Czech Republic Egemen Bagis confirmed.

EU leaders and the leaders of 17 non-EU countries, including from the UK and Ukraine, have received invitations to the two-day summit organised by the Czech EU presidency.

Turkey has recently signalled via its ambassador that it would like to strengthen its relationship with the EU after years of stalemate. A meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Erdogan, requested by Armenia, could take place in Prague, Bagis told Lidovky.

Discussions at the summit will focus on protecting gas pipelines and critical infrastructure after the damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.

It is also expected to see the signing of a joint EU-NATO declaration and to present the new format of cooperation with non-EU members known as the European Political Community.

The project, first proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, aims to bring together democratic European nations that share the EU’s values and may seek to join the bloc.

Those invited to the summit include the leaders of non-EU countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Switzerland, Norway, Kosovo and the UK. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is also expected to attend.

Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Sani likey to attend the summit as an informal guest following an invite from President Miloš Zeman.