The 27-nation European Union is seeking to work more closely with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which brings together Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, in addressing conflicts in both the Middle East and Ukraine.

The first-ever gathering of its kind, the EU-GCC summit comes on the eve of an EU leaders' meeting in the Belgian capital.

Confirmed at the last minute, the presence of Saudi Arabia's crown prince among the six Gulf leaders in attendance heightened expectations.

Trade, energy, and climate change were all on the table, but Israel's war on Gaza and Lebanon, on which the two groups hold broadly converging views, were set to dominate the agenda.

"We need a settlement for these conflicts," said Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

"We hope that this first summit will be the first step to consolidate our historic ties between the GCC and the EU."

'Unprecedented opportunity' 
 

The EU is the second-largest trading partner for GCC countries but talks on a trade pact have languished for years.

While views differ on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in particular the implementation of Western sanctions and the EU's push to punish Iran for bolstering Moscow's war effort, there was some hope of closer cooperation on that front.

The Brussels summit comes just over a year into the Israeli war on Gaza that has in recent weeks expanded to include Lebanon, raising fears of a major regional conflict.

Traditionally Western allies, the resource-rich Gulf monarchies have repeatedly called for the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, with some playing a key role in efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

Hezbollah, which had been exchanging cross-border fire with Israel for almost a year, in response to Israel's devastating ground and air assault on Gaza, is now is now battling Israeli forces in Lebanon and is attempting to repel an Israeli invasion into the country.

Chaired jointly by European Council president Charles Michel and Qatar's Sheikh Tamim, who currently holds the rotating GCC presidency, the EU-GCC meeting presented "an unprecedented opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest," said Saudi Arabia's Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

Human Rights Watch called for EU leaders to press their Gulf counterparts for reforms, including on the jailing of political prisoners, freedom of expression, labor, and women's rights.

"EU leaders should make it clear that the release of critics and progress on human rights are vital for bilateral relations," said Claudio Francavilla, the group's associate EU director.

The published agenda for the talks made no mention of human rights.

* This story was edited by Ahram Online.