The leaders of the European Union and six Gulf states are meeting for a summit on Wednesday in the shadow of turmoil in the Middle East and efforts to find a unified position on the war in Ukraine.

The Brussels summit is expected to last just a few hours and includes a wide-ranging agenda, from visas and trade to the situation in the Middle East, with Reuters estimating that it is unlikely to produce anything more substantial than general commitments to improve cooperation.

“Our message is clear: we are ready to act increasingly together to face common challenges,” EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said on the eve of the meeting.

The EU has long maintained an open channel with the Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.

European Union states are already facing the challenge of fully aligning in Israel’s wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, and a meaningful joint communique with GCC leaders will be difficult to come by, officials told Reuters.