Shafaq News/ The Gulf-European Summit kicked off, on Wednesday, in Brussels, marking the first-ever meeting of its kind between the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the European Union (EU).

Gulf leaders are discussing with their European counterparts ways to avoid a "full-scale war" in the Middle East, according to European diplomats.

In addition to regional security, the six Gulf states—Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar—are addressing issues related to trade, energy, and climate change with EU leaders.

However, EU officials noted that the "main topic" of the summit will be the Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as the risk of a broader regional conflict.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell are attending the summit, which is co-chaired by European Council President Charles Michel and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the current GCC chair.

On Tuesday evening, Borrell expressed shared concerns over regional peace and security during a working dinner with Gulf foreign ministers.

The 27 EU member states are also seeking to strengthen their economic ties with the six GCC nations. The EU is the Gulf's second-largest trading partner, though free trade agreement negotiations, which began in the 1990s, remain stalled.