European Council President António Costa is expected to visit Cyprus between September 1 and 4 as part of his annual “Tour des Capitales” of EU member states, according to CNA information.
Costa will visit the capitals of EU member states from August 25 to September 17, meeting national leaders as part of the annual tour.
Cyprus is expected to be the final stop of the second week of the tour, immediately after Greece.
EU priorities on the agenda
As in previous years, the meetings aim to gather the views of EU heads of state or government, with particular emphasis on the Union’s next multiannual budget.
The discussions will also contribute to preparations for upcoming European Council meetings and international summits.
“Defence, competitiveness, enlargement and support for Ukraine will be at the centre of my discussions with European leaders,” Costa said ahead of the tour.
However, he said the next multiannual EU budget is expected to stand out during the meetings.
The visits will provide a broad overview of member states’ priorities and expectations, helping ensure that the European Council’s work reflects developments and concerns across Europe.
Costa’s first stops
The first week of the tour begins on August 25, when Costa will meet Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Bratislava and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal in Tallinn.
On August 26, he will travel to Riga for talks with Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs before travelling to Vilnius to meet Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
The first week will conclude on August 27 with a meeting with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš in Prague.
Costa in Kyiv
Costa is in Kyiv on Monday, where he is representing the EU at a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.
Late on Sunday, he also met British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on their shared train journey to the Ukrainian capital, where they are taking part in events marking Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence.
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