French President Emmanuel Macron (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
BULBOACA, Moldova, June 1 (Xinhua) -- Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu said at the end of the one-day summit that participating countries agreed to step up their joint efforts to strengthen cyber and physical security of European critical infrastructure.
While the summit focused mainly on matters of pan-European importance, Moldova also sees it as a chance to further its EU accession.
European Council president Charles Michel said at the summit that Europe will have "the opportunity today to discuss all those topics and to try to build more political convergence."
Though no joint statement was published after the summit, some European leaders did seek to use the event to defuse regional tensions.
The platform aims to facilitate political coordination for European countries, especially promoting dialogue between EU and non-EU states.
The inaugural meeting of the EPC was held last October in Prague. ■
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (L) talks with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (L) poses for a photo with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Montenegro's President Jakov Milatovic (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
President of the European Council Charles Michel (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (L) shakes hands with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin (L) poses for photo with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (L) poses for a photo with Moldovan President Maia Sandu upon arrival for the second European Political Community Summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca of Moldova for the second European Political Community (EPC) summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (L), Moldovan President Maia Sandu (C), and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attend a press conference after the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, Moldova for the second European Political Community summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki attends a press conference after the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, Moldova for the second European Political Community summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
French President Emmanuel Macron attends a press conference after the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, Moldova for the second European Political Community summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)
Moldovan President Maia Sandu attends a press conference after the second European Political Community summit in Bulboaca, Moldova, June 1, 2023. Around 50 European leaders gathered Thursday at the Mimi Castle in Bulboaca, Moldova for the second European Political Community summit focused on security issues, as well as energy, climate, and interconnectivity. (Xinhua/Lian Yi)