EU Council President Costa to visit Czechia on first stop of EU tour

EU Council President Antonio Costa will visit Czechia on September 5 as part of a tour of EU capitals, the Czech News Agency reported on Friday, citing diplomatic sources. The tour, running from September 1 to 19, aims to allow Costa to hold personal talks with the heads of state or government across the EU-27.

Costa will first visit Slovenia, Croatia, Austria, Romania, and Bulgaria before arriving in Prague next week. The Czech government has not yet commented on the planned visit.

Key topics include EU defence, competitiveness, and the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East. Ukraine’s potential future EU membership could serve as a security guarantee amid Russian aggression, although Hungary currently opposes advancing negotiations. Costa will also discuss the issue with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest on September 10.