MED9 Summit focuses on Middle East crisis in Cyprus

Leaders of southern European Union nations are meeting Friday in Paphos for the 11th MED9 Summit, with a focus on the escalating crisis in the Middle East.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides welcomed the participants to the summit at Minthis Resort. The summit, chaired by Cyprus, includes French President Emmanuel Macron, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, and Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel.

Jordan's King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II are joining part of the summit, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Spain’s Secretary of State for European Union Affairs Fernando Sampedro.

The leaders are expected to focus on the Middle East’s unfolding crisis, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, and the political, economic, and social pressures resulting from these conflicts. Discussions aim to coordinate responses to these shared challenges.

Jordan's King Abdullah II and Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II are joining part of the summit, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Spain’s Secretary of State for European Union Affairs Fernando Sampedro.

The leaders are expected to focus on the Middle East’s unfolding crisis, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, and the political, economic, and social pressures resulting from these conflicts. Discussions aim to coordinate responses to these shared challenges.

The group will also address MED9 priorities within the European Union's new institutional cycle, covering the Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029, with an emphasis on keeping the Mediterranean region central to the EU’s focus.

The summit's agenda includes a working lunch discussing the Middle East, followed by two sessions on EU-Jordan relations and Mediterranean priorities for the EU's new term.

A joint declaration and a press conference by the heads of state and government will conclude the summit.

On the sidelines, Christodoulides will hold a private meeting with King Abdullah, along with bilateral talks with other European leaders. A quadrilateral meeting involving the Cypriot president, the Jordanian king, Italy’s prime minister, and von der Leyen is also scheduled.