European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence, energy cooperation and economic resilience topping the agenda. Azerbaijan’s role in regional peace and connectivity was also in focus.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was welcomed by Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin upon his arrival in Dublin.
President Ilham Aliyev met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the summit.
The two leaders explored opportunities to strengthen trade and economic ties, focusing on private-sector cooperation. They also discussed potential reciprocal visits by delegations from their respective countries.
Aliyev also held talks with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Dublin.
Sandu highlighted existing energy cooperation between Moldova and Azerbaijan and expressed interest in deepening bilateral ties. She thanked Baku for helping strengthen her country’s energy security.
Speaking to AnewZ on the sidelines of the summit, Sandu said securing reliable energy supplies remained a major challenge for Moldova as it seeks to diversify its sources and reduce its reliance on Russia.
“Energy continues to be a big problem for all of us, especially for Moldova,” she said.
“We hope to have a good discussion today and to find solutions,” Sandu added.
Turning to relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Sandu welcomed diplomatic efforts to bring lasting peace to the region.
“We want to have peace in all our countries, and of course I welcome any discussions and any efforts that lead to peace,” she said.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has outlined the Czech Republic’s priorities at the ninth European Political Community Summit in Dublin, highlighting European security, artificial intelligence and stronger economic cooperation with Ukraine.
Speaking to journalists, Babiš said the summit brought together 47 countries, including the 27 EU member states, as well as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Ukraine, Norway and Switzerland.
He said the meeting would support a French-proposed declaration on Europe's future security architecture, which reaffirms NATO's key role.
“The important thing for us is, of course, AI,” Babiš said, referring to the establishment of a national artificial intelligence council on Monday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urged European allies and Canada to boost defence spending, increase military production and step up support for Ukraine, while warning of growing hybrid threats to European security.
Rutte said European NATO members and Canada had boosted defence spending by a combined $250 billion in 2025 and 2026, but warned that more action was needed.
“We still need to do more,” he said, calling for increased defence production and greater supplies of weapons and military equipment to protect NATO allies.
He also emphasised the need to keep Ukraine in a strong position during negotiations with Russia as winter approaches.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for a united European approach to Ukraine on Thursday, following two days of peace talks in Abu Dhabi earlier in the week.
“I think that today, above all, Europe needs a clear and united vision of what it wants,” Macron said in Dublin.
He added that the EPC should agree on “very clear principles and commitments” regarding Europe's security architecture.
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset called for stronger European cooperation, connectivity and a commitment to democratic values to safeguard peace and security across the continent.
Speaking to AnewZ at the summit, Berset highlighted the Council of Europe's role in uniting its 46 member states under a shared legal framework.
“To achieve peace and stability, I think we need to be strong, to be connected, and to be secure,” he said.
On Ukraine, Berset warned that lasting peace would be impossible without justice and accountability.
“There will be no security and stability in Europe without long and lasting peace in Ukraine. No peace without justice, no justice without accountability,” he stated.
He also pointed to ongoing efforts to establish mechanisms to ensure accountability.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin praised the Coalition of the Willing for its role in bolstering international support for Ukraine.
Speaking to AnewZ, Martin said the coalition had successfully engaged with the U.S. on Ukraine, including through cooperation with President Donald Trump, while coordinating efforts to reinforce Kyiv's defence and security capabilities.
He also highlighted its contribution to securing financial assistance for Ukraine, alongside substantial support from individual member states.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence, ener...
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
Iran has unveiled a new underground missile and drone base, warning that it will respond forcefully to any attack, as tensions persist with the U.S. and oil tankers continue to be struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran will not let a single particle of its enriched nuclear material leave the country, and any new U.S. attack would be met with strikes on distant American bases, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is stepping down amid reports linking him to a woman suspected by U.S. authorities of spying for China, throwing the future of the $4 trillion chipmaker into uncertainty.
Tajikistan is urging regional allies to step up support for its border with Afghanistan following a series of deadly armed incidents. Despite building more than 80 new border outposts, Dushanbe says it needs further assistance to secure its southern frontier.
Eight people have been killed and at least 17 injured after an apartment building collapsed into a neighbouring construction site in Brooklyn, New York, as rescuers continued searching the rubble for possible survivors.
A bid to impeach U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has been blocked for now, but Democrats are preparing to revive the fight when they take control of the House in January. Here are the eight charges against him, how impeachment works and what could happen next.
A bomb alert temporarily disrupted train services at Calais-Fréthun station in northern France on Thursday morning, affecting both domestic and international rail travel.
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