The Prime Minister will urge leaders to stand united in the face
of Russian aggression as Europe faces “its biggest crisis
since the Second World War”, when she addresses a regional
summit in the Czech Republic today [6th October].
will attend the meeting of leaders from across Europe
to shore up support for Ukraine and galvanise collective action
on energy security and migration, delivering on UK priorities.
In a series of bilateral meetings and plenary sessions in Prague,
the Prime Minister will encourage countries to go further and
faster to end Europe’s reliance on Russian hydrocarbons and
“usher in a new era of resilience and independence.”
She will call on leaders to commit at the summit to keeping oil
and gas interconnectors open this winter and is expected to hold
talks on joint projects to develop new nuclear and offshore wind
capacity.
The Prime Minister will also meet key countries on the migration
route, including the leaders of France and the Netherlands, to
drive progress on joint operations to disrupt criminal gangs
profiting from illegal migration.
Prime Minister will tell the opening plenary session in Prague:
“Europe is facing its biggest crisis since the Second World
War. And we have faced it together with unity and resolve.
“We must continue to stand firm - to ensure that Ukraine wins
this war, but also to deal with the strategic challenges that it
has exposed.”
The Prime Minister is expected to set out that the UK has
continued to play a leading role in Europe outside the European
Union, demonstrated by the response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The UK has forged new defensive alliances through the Joint
Expeditionary Force and bolstered regional security as the
largest European contributor to NATO. This week, the UK deployed
Royal Navy frigate HMS Enterprise to the North Sea to work with
Norway on protecting critical national energy infrastructure,
following the shocking sabotage on the Nordstream 1 & 2
pipelines.
Speaking at the opening of the summit, the Prime Minister will
say we need to “learn the lessons of the war.
“The threat was left to fester for far too long.
Now, at last, we are tackling Putin’s aggression head on.
“And we should take the same approach with other challenges
before us – including longstanding regional issues
like energy and migration.
“Instead of the old approach which merely dealt with the
symptoms, it’s time to address the fundamental causes.”
The European Political Community meeting in Prague is an
opportunity for leaders from across the continent, including EU
and non-EU states, to work together to address urgent shared
challenges.
The Prime Minister is expected address the opening plenary
session and attend a working group on energy security, as well as
holding a series of bilateral talks and informal meetings with
leaders.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The Prime Minister will travel to Prague on Thursday morning
to attend the European leaders’ summit.
- The leaders of 44 European countries are invited, including
many beyond the EU such as Turkey, Ukraine, Switzerland, Western
Balkans countries, Norway and Georgia.
- The Prime Minister is expected to hold a bilateral with the
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala on arrival, followed by bilats
with French President Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Rutte and
further informal leader meetings later in the day.
- The PM will also address the opening plenary session,
alongside four other European leaders, and attend a roundtable on
energy, climate and the economy.
