European leaders will convene in Dublin, Ireland this week for key meetings hosted by the European Union (EU) under its Irish presidency. The European Political Community (EPC), an informal forum for political and strategic discussions among European leaders, will be the main focus of these meetings. The EPC summit, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, is expected to attract approximately 50 international leaders including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, heads of state across the EU, and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The theme of this year's Dublin summit is "Europe – strong, secure, and connected," with discussions centered on economic security, Ukraine, hybrid activity in Europe, and democratic resilience. Hybrid warfare, a term used to describe non-military methods such as cyberattacks, sabotage, or misinformation aimed at destabilizing adversaries, will be a significant topic of discussion.
In addition to the EPC summit, a Friends of Ukraine group co-hosted by the UK and Ukraine is set to meet on the margins of the EU gathering, where President Zelensky is expected to brief leaders on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Notable attendees at this meeting may include US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who are scheduled to meet with Zelensky following trilateral talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
Preparations for these meetings have involved extensive security measures, with the Irish police conducting the largest security and policing operation in the state's history. Parts of Dublin city centre have been closed off, causing widespread traffic disruption in recent days. Despite a number of bomb threats, which have proven to be hoaxes, the events are proceeding as planned.
On Friday, a meeting of the informal European Council will take place at the Convention Centre Dublin, where Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Ukraine will continue to dominate discussions. Notable speakers include Prof Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "godfather of AI." However, it is reported that some leaders may not attend, such as Turkey which is hosting the COP31 climate summit concurrently.