European countries need to strengthen cooperation and work together to address common challenges while building closer ties in trade, energy infrastructure and people-to-people contacts, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said during the opening plenary session of the 9th summit of the European Political Community (EPC).
According to Report‘s correspondent in Dublin, Martin noted that the European Political Community had already become an established platform for political dialogue. He said that around 50 leaders had gathered in Dublin to discuss common challenges and opportunities.
“The theme of today’s summit is ‘A Strong, Safe and Connected Europe’. We want to build a strong and dynamic European economy where businesses can thrive and living standards continue to improve,” the prime minister said.
He added that the second key priority was ensuring the security of European citizens and protecting them against war and all kinds of threats, including hybrid threats.
The prime minister also reaffirmed Ireland’s unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine.
“We want to see a Europe united through cooperation and working together to address common challenges. We need to strengthen the links between us in trade, energy infrastructure and people-to-people contacts,” he said.
According to Martin, the EPC brings together more than 700 million people united by shared values, a commitment to democracy and a desire for cooperation. The summit will also feature discussions on practical projects at thematic roundtables and bilateral meetings.