All eyes are on Maximos Mansion because of the informal dinner of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis with the leaders of the Western Balkans.

The meeting was held in the presence – in strict secrecy – of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, but not of Edi Rama, the Prime Minister of Albania, as a “message” on the matter of Freddy Belleri.

The following also attended the meeting: the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic, the Prime Minister of România, Ion-Marcel Ciolacu, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, the President of the Cabinet of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Kristo, the Prime Minister of Skopje, Dimitar Kovacevski, the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Nikolai Denkov, and the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenkovic.

A little earlier, Kyriakos Mitsotakis had welcomed the President of Ukraine at Maximos Mansion, with the Greek Prime Minister declaring that Athens will continue to stand by Ukraine and that it will not accept any re-demarcation of borders using military force.

The informal dinner focused on the expansion and the European future of the region on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the EU-Western Balkans Summit and the “Declaration of Thessaloniki”.

This initiative highlights the leading role of Greece as a pillar of stability, peace, and energy security in the wider Balkan region.

The Declaration of Athens was adopted by the 11 leaders who participated in the informal dinner, which was organized by the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in the presence of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.

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The Declaration states:

1. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is a pivotal moment for Europe, creating a new level of awareness of shared principles, unity, and a common future within the EU. This is a critical time for the security, peace, and stability of our European continent. The laws and principles that contributed to a stable and predictable European security order for so long have been violated and we witness anew the manifestation of the disastrous effects of revisionism.
2. In the face of Russian aggression, we express our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, based on the values of democracy and the rule of law.
3. In our discussions in Athens today, we expressed support and appreciation for the earnest efforts of Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, in setting out the principles for peace in line with the UN Charter, in his Peace Formula. We also welcomed the efforts of the UN General Assembly to promote a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine.
4. We agreed that there can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as attacks against civilians and the destruction of infrastructure and all those responsible must be held accountable.

5. Twenty years ago, the Thessaloniki Summit acknowledged that the Western Balkans belong to the European Union. We firmly believe that today this statement remains more relevant than ever. The escalating war of aggression against Ukraine revealed the urgent need for a strong, resilient, and inclusive EU as a cornerstone of peace and prosperity among our peoples during these challenging times.
6. We stressed that the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova, geographically adjacent to EU Member-States, have a common European heritage, history, and a future defined by shared opportunities and challenges. As a strategic investment in peace, security, and stability in Europe, it is important for these regions to be embraced as full-fledged members of the European family.
7. Today in Athens, we discussed the way forward, in order to make this vision of Europe a reality. We underlined the importance of setting ourselves a target for the completion of the vision of an EU enriched with the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and the Republic of Moldova. 

We underlined the need for a re-energized and re-focused expansion process that is tangible and credible, without shortcuts to the set conditions. We expressed our commitment to support Ukraine and Moldova to take the next steps in their accession process as soon as they have completed the necessary reforms.

8. We firmly believe that 20 years after the Thessaloniki Summit and in light of the new geopolitical reality, the time has come to adopt a bold and ambitious end goal that will serve as guide, inspiration and context.

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