European Council to hold informal meeting in Prague

The members of the European Council will meet Friday in the Czech Republic to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, rising energy costs and their economic ramifications.

The informal meeting comes a day after the first meeting of the European Political Community, which gathered 27 EU member states and the leaders of 17 European countries in the capital Prague with the aim of fostering political dialogue and cooperation to address issues of common interest.

At the meeting, the EU leaders will discuss the bloc's response and how to continue providing strong economic, military, political and financial support to Ukraine in the face of Russia's war.

One of the main focuses will be how to guarantee affordable energy for households and businesses.

European countries are facing high energy prices and gas shortages due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

Russia has reduced supplies of natural gas to Europe, which the continent depended on for years to generate electricity and heat homes, in response to unprecedented Western sanctions.

Last month, it halted gas deliveries via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline indefinitely.

The leaders will also address high energy prices for households and businesses and how the EU can support growth and jobs while protecting the vulnerable who suffer the most from high energy bills.

They will continue to discuss these issues at the upcoming European Council meeting in Brussels on Oct. 20-21.