Eastern Partnership: Strong display of joint commitment as President von der Leyen participates in video conference along with leaders from the EU and eastern neighbourhood

This afternoon, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will participate in an Eastern Partnership leaders’ video conference. The meeting will bring together 33 Heads of State or Government from EU Member States and the six Eastern Partners (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine), as well as Presidents von der Leyen and Michel, and High Representative/Vice-President Borrell. On the back of the Joint Communication on the Eastern Partnership beyond 2020, presented by the European Commission and the High Representative in March this year, and the subsequent Council Conclusions, the leaders will discuss the long-term objectives of the policy and the need to build on the success of the 20 deliverables for 2020 with new deliverables. The leaders are also expected to discuss the response to the coronavirus, whereby the European Union has supported the immediate health needs and longer-term socio-economic recovery of countries in the region with over €2.4 billion in a combination of grants, loans and macro-financial assistance. Presidents von der Leyen and Michel will hold a press conference after the leaders’ meeting, which will be available on EbS. Factsheets are available on the EU’s relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, on the new Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020, on the EU’s response to the coronavirus in the Eastern Partnership region, on the current state of implementation of the 20 deliverables for 2020, and on the top 10 achievements of the Eastern Partnership 2009-2019.