"Our prosperity depends on lasting peace, open trade, secure connections and shared routes. Starting with freedom of navigation without tolls, or indiscriminatory restrictions. This is why we must work even more closely together. The time has come to steer our investments towards a shared goal, making it harder to strike at us and more costly to divide us. Connecting our markets, establishing alternative routes, strengthening infrastructures and jointly developing technologies and defence capabilities all serve to precisely this purpose. This work must begin immediately. I hope this meeting will provide further confirmation that Europe and the Gulf are ready to take greater responsibility for the security, development, and well-being of our peoples."
"This is a very, very important initiative because it brings around the same table the countries of the Gulf and many European countries, including the European institutions. In these times of global turbulence, it is imperative that Europe comes closer to the Gulf and the Gulf comes closer to Europe. And Greece, of course, geographically but also politically, can serve as a natural bridge between the European Union and the Gulf countries. This is the policy that we have followed over the past seven years, systematically cultivating our relationships with the Gulf countries. And in times of crisis and geopolitical tension, this relationship is becoming more important than ever."
"The Forum provided an excellent opportunity for Gulf and European countries to reaffirm that their relationship is co-dependent and co-reliant. Together, we explored how to address challenges that affect all of us; we agreed that the responsibilities are shared across economic,security and cultural fora. Most importantly, we set parameters and plans for future collaboration."
"The forum was a very useful one. I thank the Antenna Group and the Atlantic Council for bringing together the leaders from the European Union and the Gulf countries, emphasizing the importance the partnership between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, we are looking forward for the next summit which will happen in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia exactly in one month time. Here I spoke on behalf of Croatian government who is currently chairing the MED9 which is the nine Mediterranean countries of the European Union from a country whose commissioner Madame Šujca is responsible for the Mediterranean and from a country like many others suffers the consequences of these two choke points, that is to say the inability to export fossil fuels from the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Our priority is to ensure the freedom of navigation, to foster partnership between the European and the Gulf countries, both when it comes to security, when it comes to energy, but also to make progress on free trade and to see how we can accommodate the expectations regarding the visa liberalization from the Gulf countries. We are happy to, perhaps in the future, host one of these events at the Croatia's Adriatic coast."
"This Europe Gulf Forum has taken place at a time of acute anxiety for the region. You have the war in Iran. You have got problems with the Strait of Hormuz. You have got problems at Bab al-Mandab. And so for Europe and the Gulf that are connected together, that share strategic interests, that share common worries about what is happening. Europe, particularly with the war in Ukraine, but also because of what is happening in Iran and the Gulf with Iran. It makes perfect sense to come together and to talk about how they might cooperate in order to remove these obstacles and whatever happens in the outcome of the conflict, to make sure we build strength for the future. I think there is an immediate priority, which is to ensure that the routes of navigation remain open because this has been a huge problem. The world has never had a situation where you have had essential sea routes - sea routes are the basis of trade - shut down in this way. So one immediate question is how you ensure that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, that the problems around what the Houthis are doing and attacking Saudi Arabia and the Bab al-Mandab, all of that is managed as best we can."
"The Europe Gulf Forum held in Greece in May 2026 reflected the growing strategic partnership between the Gulf Cooperation Council and our European partners, translating shared visions into practical areas of cooperation. Among the most tangible outcomes of the Forum was the advancement of dialogue on economic connectivity, energy security, digital transformation, and investment partnerships, alongside strengthened coordination on regional and international issues of mutual concern. The Forum also contributed to expanding engagement between public and private sector stakeholders, creating new opportunities for cooperation in sustainability, innovation, trade, and emerging technologies. The GCC views this Forum as an important platform for building long-term partnerships based on mutual interests, shared prosperity, and collective efforts toward regional and global stability."
“It was a very productive conversation. I think the Europeans and the Gulf states, both collectively and bilaterally, are making real progress on all the things that matter to the region and for the security of the world, deterrence against our common set of adversaries. So it was a great joy to be a small part of the conversation today. We've made a lot of progress collectively. The United States is part of that, but Europe, European nations and the Gulf States have made a lot of progress. But there's an awful lot more work to do. And that freedom of navigation and the central ideas of Western civilization matter a lot to to both of these regions and that there are many places that we can work together to deliver them.”
“This is a very important meeting. We need to strengthen the cooperation between Europe and the SEC. They are friends. We need to work hard together. First of all, for peace and stability in the region. For us, for Italy, it's crucial because Italy is the second most important industrial country in Europe. We are number four for trade and freedom of navigation is crucial. For this, we need to work hard together. The Red Sea, we are working hard for the protection, for the cross-protection of our ships. through Suez, Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, with the European mission, Aspides, Greeks and Italians working hard. We need more involvement by the other European countries. Also in Normand is very, very important, but in the future it's possible to do more. They are our best friends in the region, and also at the economic level it's possible to do more. The idea should be more or less for the future, not for today, but for tomorrow, and also a model of the agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur to work with the visa, to work with the common strategy also for growth. This is the future, but before we need to achieve peace and stability in the region, we need to explain to Iran peace is important also for Iran.”
"The opportunity before us is to redefine the partnership between the Gulf and Europe for a new global era—moving beyond a conventional trading relationship toward a strategic partnership that drives economic resilience, advances technological leadership, secures the energy transition, and shapes a more stable and prosperous future for generations to come."
“This is a very important meeting. We need to strengthen the cooperation between Europe and the SEC. They are friends. We need to work hard together. First of all, for peace and stability in the region. For us, for Italy, it's crucial because Italy is the second most important industrial country in Europe. We are number four for trade and freedom of navigation is crucial. For this, we need to work hard together. The Red Sea, we are working hard for the protection, for the cross-protection of our ships. through Suez, Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, with the European mission, Aspides, Greeks and Italians working hard. We need more involvement by the other European countries. Also in Normand is very, very important, but in the future it's possible to do more. They are our best friends in the region, and also at the economic level it's possible to do more. The idea should be more or less for the future, not for today, but for tomorrow, and also a model of the agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur to work with the visa, to work with the common strategy also for growth. This is the future, but before we need to achieve peace and stability in the region, we need to explain to Iran peace is important also for Iran.”
"It is a very, very important exchange, a very important dialogue ahead of the EU-GCC summit that will take place at the end of October. The EU will present during the summit very concrete proposals of collaboration between the EU and the GCC countries in a series of subjects because we know very well that we now need to support our partners and our allies in the Middle East, in the Gulf because of the current crisis."
