Athens, Greece, 18 May 2026 – The inaugural Europe Gulf Forum (EGF), hosted by Theodore Kyriakou, Chairman of Antenna Group, in partnership with the Atlantic Council, concluded today in Greece after three days of private, high-level discussions among prime ministers, heads of state, senior policy makers, and investors. Held from 15–17 May, the Forum brought together senior leaders from Europe and the Gulf at a defining moment of geopolitical fragmentation and rapid economic transformation, with a focus on strengthening long-term cooperation between the two regions across shared strategic priorities. The agenda included sessions on managing shared security challenges; navigating global economic headwinds; promoting regional stability; increasing cooperation on supply chains, energy, defence and technology; and charting a course for the future of Europe–Gulf relations. Participants included leaders and senior representatives from major governments from both regions International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, Gulf Cooperation Council, and sovereign investment institutions. Over the course of the Forum, participants engaged in substantive discussions on the evolving geopolitical and economic relationship between Europe and the Gulf and explored opportunities to deepen strategic cooperation in areas of growing mutual importance. As a result of those discussions, participants underscored three areas for deeper Europe-Gulf partnership in the months ahead:
- Strategic infrastructure and connectivity
- Technology and security cooperation
- Long-term investment in energy resilience
They also agreed on the need for more regular, structured engagement between senior public and private-sector leaders from both regions. The Europe Gulf Forum is the first dedicated public-private platform for strategic cooperation between Europe and the Gulf. Building on the discussions in Greece, the Forum will become a permanent platform and support a programme of follow-on engagement between Europe and the Gulf, including additional leadership convenings and continued private dialogue among key stakeholders, led by an official operating committee of the Europe-Gulf Forum.
Theodore Kyriakou, Chairman of Antenna Group, said: “The Europe Gulf Forum began as an idea I had about a year ago. My thinking was simple: Europe and the Gulf, with all its great opportunities, are facing several important challenges at the same time. The bridge between Europe and the Gulf was clearly no longer just interesting. It has become essential. If we work together more closely – in energy resilience, defence and technology, connectivity and many other areas – we will not only strengthen our own regions, but we can also help make the wider world more stable and more prosperous as well.
“The Forum is intended to be the first of many gatherings to find solutions. We are committed to building this into a meaningful and lasting platform – one where Europe and the Gulf can speak candidly, think strategically and work together in a more practical and consistent way over time.”
Frederick Kempe, President and CEO of the Atlantic Council, added: “We are living through an era of geopolitical, technological, and economic change. Europe and the Gulf have shared interests across a number of areas. Participants agreed that the countries in these regions must do more to jointly address emerging challenges. Major crises of recent years, from Russia’s war on Ukraine to the Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, underscore the urgency of forging deeper strategic ties.
“For sixty-five years, the Atlantic Council has promoted constructive dialogue on the world’s defining issues, guided by its mission to shape the global future alongside partners and allies. The inaugural Europe Gulf Forum advanced those principles. The candid conversations this weekend can serve as a catalyst for action on security, energy, trade, and technology and lay the groundwork for sustained cooperation.”
Attendees at the Forum included:
H.E. Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic
H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar
H.E. Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland
H.E. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic
H.E. Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus
H.H. Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait
The Rt. Hon. David Lammy MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
H.E. Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism
H.E. Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of the National Economy and Finance of Greece and President of the Eurogroup
H.E. Adel Al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
H.E. Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait
H.E. Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General, Gulf Cooperation Council
H.E. Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates
H.E. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director International Monetary Fund
H.E. Christine Lagarde, President European Central Bank
H.H. Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, National Security Advisor of the Kingdom of Bahrain
H.E. Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance and National Economy of the Kingdom of Bahrain
H.E. Nasser bin Saad Al Khathran, General Director for Policy and Strategy Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Rt Hon. Sir Tony Blair, Executive Chairman, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
The Honorable Amos Hochstein, Managing Partner, TWG Global; Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources
H.E. Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, Chief Executive Officer Qatar Investment Authority
Theodore Kyriakou, Chairman Antenna Group
Frederick Kempe, President and Chief Executive Officer Atlantic Council
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