European Council President Costa to travel to London, Chișinău, and Cairo

Following the leaders’ informal meeting on Ukraine and Europe’s security in Paris on 17 February and the international summit on the support of Ukraine in Kyiv on 24 February, President Costa will take part in a leaders’ meeting in London on 2 March 2025. He will join UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and other European leaders to build on the growing momentum in enhancing support for Ukraine amidst Russia’s invasion and strengthening Europe’s security and defence. These talks will contribute to the discussions that EU leaders will hold during the Special European Council meeting convened by President Costa on 6 March.

The following day, the President will visit Chișinău, where he will engage with President Maia Sandu, to reaffirm the EU’s full support for Moldova’s government and its European integration process. Given the challenging political context and security concerns in the region, this visit underscores the EU’s commitment to Moldova’s sovereignty and European future. The meeting will also address Moldova’s progress in implementing reforms necessary for EU accession and the next steps in the enlargement process.

On Tuesday, 4 March, President Costa will be participating in the emergency summit of the League of Arab States in Cairo on behalf of the EU to discuss the latest developments in Gaza. The summit will focus on plans for the safe return of Palestinian civilians to their homes and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and its future governance, in the context of the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas. The president will use this opportunity to further reiterate the EU’s commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the region based on the two-state solution in accordance with relevant UN resolutions where Israel and Palestine live side-by-side in peace within secure and recognised borders. President Costa will also have a series of bilateral meetings with regional leaders.

Speaking ahead of the visit to Cairo, President of the European Council, António Costa said:

• Special European Council, 6 March 2025 (meeting page)
• EU solidarity with Ukraine (background information)
• EU action in support of Ukraine (factsheet) 
• EU security and defence (background information)
• EU defence in numbers (background information)
• EU position on the situation in the Middle East (background information)
• Moldova (background information)

Source – European Council