The first meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) will be held in the Czech Republic's capital Prague on Thursday.
The EPC, set up after French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal in May, will bring together leaders of the 27 European Union states and 17 other European countries – Türkiye, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Albania, Armenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Moldova, and Georgia.
More than 40 leaders are expected to attend the first meeting of the EPC.
It aims to foster political dialogue and cooperation on issues of common interest and to strengthen the security, stability, and prosperity of the European continent, according to an EU statement.
"This platform for political coordination does not replace any existing organization, structure, or process and does not aim to create new ones at this stage," the statement said.
Also, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will attend Thursday's summit.
He has also hinted at a possible meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the EPC summit.
EU leaders will also hold an informal meeting on Friday, where the top issues on the agenda will be "Russia's war in Ukraine, energy and the economic situation," the statement said.
The European Political Community is a platform for political coordination for European countries across the continent, aiming to bring together leaders from European countries on an equal footing and in a spirit of unity, ideally once or twice a year.
