Brussels is hosting the fifth summit of the Eastern Partnership.
President of the European Council Donald Tusk, President of the European Commission Jean Claude-Juncker and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini are taking part in the event.
In October, the European Union expressed readiness to welcome Belarus president Alyaksandr Lukashenka at the summit. It is the first time he has received a personal invitation to the Brussels. For years, the Belarusian leader had been denied entry to EU member coutries. However, on November 21 it became known that Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makey would head the Belarusian delegation at the upcoming event. The reason for such a decision was not given.
According to French Ambassador to Belarus Didier Canesse, a program of cooperation between the EU and Belarus will be adopted at the event.
“Now I cannot go into details, but I can assure you that there will be new elements,” Canesse told TV channel Belarus-1.
The framework agreement on cooperation between Belarus and the European Union may be signed soon, Makey said when arriving in Brussels.
“I am convinced that the agreement will be signed, and this will happen sooner rather than later. We are working on it together with our European partners,” state-run news agency BelTA quotes the minister.
