Some EU leaders, including Czech PM, to discuss migration ahead of EU summit

Leaders from several EU countries, including Czechia, plan to hold a separate meeting on Thursday morning to address migration issues prior to the start of the EU summit. The purpose of the gathering is to "harmonize positions" ahead of discussions involving the entire EU bloc, according to information available to the Czech News Agency.

The meeting is reportedly organized by Italy, Denmark, and the Netherlands, and will also be attended by leaders from Greece, Cyprus, Austria, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Italian news agency ANSA has also reported that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be present.

Migration is expected to dominate the EU summit's agenda, with tensions rising across Europe over the issue. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, representing his country at the summit, is among the 17 European leaders advocating for changes to the EU's "return directive," which aim to expedite the process of deporting individuals whose asylum claims have been denied.