Prime Minister Antonis Samaras attented an extraordinary summit, convened by the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, in Brussels on Thursday (06.03). The EU leaders discussed the latest developments in Ukraine and how to facilitate the de-escalation of the situation. Samaras underlined the need to avoid moves that could cause an armed conflict and called for substantive dialogue between all sides to ease tension in the region."We have a crisis to deal with and Europe must prove its meditating role," Samaras said. Furthermore, he referred to the historic ties between Greece and Ukraine and to the Greek community in Mariupol. Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk, who also participated, stated that he is ready to sign the EU-Ukraine association agreement as soon as possible.

Later, the premier travelled to Dublin, where he attended the European People’s Party Congress. Apart from discussing the Ukrainian issue, the EPP will precede to the election of the EPP’s candidate for the Commission’s President.