Meetings also touched on strengthening relations and expanding cooperation between Jordan and the EU LONDON: Jordan’s King Abdullah II held a series of high-level meetings on Friday with leaders from across Europe during the Southern EU Countries (MED9) Summit in Paphos in Cyprus. The king met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, and Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela. The discussions focused on the escalating violence in Gaza and Lebanon, with King Abdullah urging increased efforts to achieve comprehensive calm and an end to the conflict, according to Jordan News Agency. He emphasized the urgent need to facilitate the swift and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. King Abdullah also raised concerns about rising extremist settler violence in the West Bank and violations of religious sites in Jerusalem, warning that the region would remain trapped in violence unless a viable political solution, based on the two-state framework, was pursued. In addition to addressing the regional situation, the meetings touched on strengthening relations and expanding cooperation between Jordan and the EU. Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ayman Safadi, and other key officials were also present at the discussions.