Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen convened in Egypt on Sunday to discuss strengthening ties between Egypt and Europe, the Egyptian presidency announced. The leaders deliberated on a forthcoming political declaration aimed at advancing their bilateral relationship to a “strategic and comprehensive partnership.” Following this meeting, el-Sisi engaged in talks with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, given Belgium’s current leadership of the European Union’s rotating presidency.
The discussions focused on the critical need for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, which has been enduring a severe Israeli military operation for the last five months. El-Sisi expressed Egypt’s firm stance against the forced displacement of Palestinians, emphasizing that Egypt would not tolerate such actions.
These high-profile meetings are set to pave the way for a broader Egyptian-European summit, anticipated to include key leaders from Cyprus, Italy, Greece, and Austria. The summit aims to further cement the cooperative framework between Egypt and its European counterparts, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.