Bringing countries together – Prague summit: “Ukraine will win”

The host of the meeting recalled the suppression of the Prague Spring in 1968 by the Soviet army. “This summarizes our experience with Moscow politics.” Fiala also referred to the motto “Truth triumphs” on a Prague Castle banner. With regard to the Russian war of aggression, Fiala called for further European support for Ukraine. “We know it’s hard to stand up to evil, but in the end the truth will prevail.”

No other European organization
The “European Political Community” is a platform for open discussion between European democratic states and not another European organisation, Fiala said. The new format is based on an initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron. Concrete resolutions are not planned, security policy, the economic situation, energy and climate, but also migration and mobility are discussed.

Nehammer doesn’t make it to the top
Austria is represented by Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP). “Since February 24, we have been dealing with a new situation that has changed our security landscape,” Nehammer said on Twitter. “This requires joint action and determination in the EU and with our European partners on restoring peace in Europe.”

Nehammer wanted to meet the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia along the sidelines of the summit in Prague on Thursday. Bosnia is represented by the President of the State Presidency, Sefik Dzaferovic, and North Macedonia by Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski. The presentation of the army budget in Austria delayed the chancellor’s arrival in Prague, preventing Nehammer from making it to the summit photo. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen could be completely prevented on Thursday for domestic political reasons.

Reactions to annexation and energy prices
The head of the SPÖ delegation to the EU parliament, Andreas Schieder, called from the Prague summit for answers to the annexation of Ukrainian territories and rising energy prices. “We need to show them and Putin that the EU and the Western Balkans are walking side by side on a common European path,” he said.

In addition to the 27 EU countries, 17 other countries were invited. These include Ukraine, Turkey, Norway, Great Britain, Switzerland and the western Balkan states of Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. Ukraine is represented by Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is connected via video.

Other countries can join
“There is a good reason why Russia and Belarus are not here,” Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said before the meeting. This shows how isolated these two countries are. “There is already a good group here,” De Croo adds. Other countries could join if they shared democratic values.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the “European Political Community” is not an alternative to EU membership, but a platform for European leaders to discuss key issues. These are currently European security issues and energy and climate issues.

Hope for signs of “unity”
With the new forum, like-minded European democracies formed a “united front against (Vladimir) Putin’s brutality,” British Prime Minister Liz Truss and Fiala said, according to British sources. Macron expressed hope for a sign of “unity” and a “strategic discussion that has never existed before”.

On Friday, an informal EU summit in Prague will discuss the European response to the illegal annexations of Ukrainian territories announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The protection of vital infrastructure and economic development are also on the agenda.