The summit of the European Political Community held in Grenada was marked by a notable absence: that of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliev. This absence weakened the scope of this meeting, which aimed to demonstrate the desire of European leaders to move forward together.
Indeed, the absence of Ilham Aliev and the expected absence of his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, were a setback for this forum which aims to ease regional tensions. The recent Azerbaijani offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh, which caused the Armenian population to flee, could have been an important topic of discussion at this summit.
But Ilham Aliev decided not to participate in the negotiations, denouncing an “anti-Azerbaijani atmosphere” in this format. This absence was disappointing for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who hoped to sign a document at the summit.
The summit of the European Political Community, imagined by Emmanuel Macron, aims to bring together a wide range of countries beyond the 27 members of the European Union. However, the absence of Turkey and Azerbaijan limits its European character and reinforces its anti-Putin aspect.
Despite this notable absence, the summit addressed other important topics, notably the migration crisis. European leaders signed a text aimed at organizing a European response in the event of a massive influx of migrants into an EU state. This issue raises concerns in many countries, such as Italy and the United Kingdom, which want to act quickly to control illegal immigration.
Another topic on the discussion agenda was the war between Russia and Ukraine, with European powers reaffirming their support for kyiv. The political crisis in the United States has also raised questions about continued American support for Ukraine.
In conclusion, although the absence of the President of Azerbaijan weakened the European Political Community summit, other important topics were discussed, including the migration crisis and the war in Ukraine. It remains to be seen how European leaders will face these challenges and move forward together in the years to come.