By Penelope Galliou

The center of political developments for all critical issues is being moved to Brussels, today and tomorrow, during the European Council meeting.

Top internal and international issues such as the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027), the continued support of the E.U. in Ukrainebut also the developments in Middle East and Immigrant and the consequences of what is taking place in the Mediterranean basin and have put all the states of the region on alert.

The Greek Prime Minister is one of the few European leaders who participated in the Peace Summit in Cairo with the participation of Arab leaders, but also after the meeting he had with the Israeli Prime Minister in Jerusalem, he is expected to inform the European Council about these contacts and to repeat the role of Greece as a reliable and honest interlocutor with all the countries of the region.

According to information, Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to reiterate Israel’s right to self-defense in accordance with International Law and International Humanitarian Law, but at the same time to underline, as he did in Cairo, the distinction between Hamas and the Palestinians, the need to protect the civilians in the Gaza Strip and avoid a humanitarian crisis. A dimension that he pointed out both publicly and in the private meeting he had with the Prime Minister of Israel.

As the leader of an Eastern Mediterranean country, Mr. Mitsotakis will make a special reference and express his concern about the diffusion of the crisis which poses risks of regional instability and according to government sources he will reiterate that no military intervention can replace a viable political solution , which is the resumption of the peace process in the Middle East and to repeat Greece’s long-standing position in favor of a two-state solution, a position also of the EU, as formulated in the joint statement of the 27 of the European Council on October 15.

As a result of the new crisis in the Middle East and the consequences of the conflicts and the war being waged in Israel, the 27 European leaders will also discuss the Immigration issue, both in terms of its internal and external dimensions, in search of a new plan after the new data created by the new tension in the wider “neighborhood” of the Mediterranean.

Already at the emergency teleconference of the 27 last week, Kyriakos Mitsotakis had emphasized that the importance of the EU’s strategic cooperation. with Egypt is today more relevant than ever. At the same time, the dimension of internal security will also be discussed, a dimension which – according to government sources – today more than ever justifies the policy of guarding the borders that the Greek government has followed and will continue to follow.

In the economic field, the European leaders will also discuss the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework, for which the Prime Minister is expected to repeat what he supported during the informal European Council in Granada, arguing in favor of increasing the budget in the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework. Specifically, according to government sources, he is expected to underline that it is impossible in the EU budget. to earmark so much additional resources for Ukraine and give far less resources to areas such as Immigration and disaster relief.

Earlier, the Prime Minister will also participate in the Summit of the European People’s Party, on the sidelines of which he will have a meeting with Donald Tusk.

Finally, the Eurozone Summit is scheduled for tomorrow, which takes place a few days after the Greek economy was upgraded to investment grade by S&P, and the Prime Minister is expected to emphasize that Greece is now the positive surprise of the Eurozone both in terms of development as well as in terms of fiscal performance.