Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) and French President Emmanuel Macron assessed Thursday’s premiers of the European Political Community (EPC) as a useful space for informal discussion within the whole of Europe or for previously unimaginable meetings. According to Fiala, the summit took place at a critical moment for the continent, when the stability and security of Europe is threatened due to Russian aggression. According to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the meeting showed the complete isolation of contemporary Russia. The next summit in this format will be hosted by Moldova.

More than four dozen state representatives debated the war in Ukraine, migration, energy and the economic situation of the continent at Prague Castle on Thursday. Fiala pointed out again that the new platform, which in addition to the European Union also included, for example, the countries of the Western Balkans, Britain, Ukraine or Turkey, should not replace existing forms of European cooperation.

The creation of the EPC was initiated in May this year by Macron, who recalled that the idea of ​​such a meeting is much older. The French president appreciated that there were, in particular, previously unimaginable meetings between high-ranking representatives of Armenia and Turkey. On the sidelines of the summit, a multilateral meeting was held between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, among others, with Armenian Prime Minister Nikola Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilhaj Aliyev.

Fiala also met with Erdogan and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as the Prime Minister of the current EU Presidency country. They talked about energy, gas supplies, migration and mutual relations between Turkey and the Union. Fiala also spoke with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and European bloc summit chief Charles Michel.

For example, British Prime Minister Liz Trussová also met with Macron, whom she described as a friend of Britain. In return, Macron appreciated that the British woman had come to Prague. According to him, the inclusion of London in strategic negotiations about the events on the continent is logical and useful.

The statesmen attended plenary sessions, round-table discussions on security and peace or energy and the economy. At the beginning of the joint dinner, President Miloš Zeman spoke, according to which the world is facing the danger of using nuclear weapons due to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Therefore, according to him, it is necessary to send a strong and clear signal that when they are used, a diplomatic as well as a military reaction will follow.

On Thursday, Zeman also held talks at the Castle with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučič.