The heads of state and government of European Union's 27 member states will meet on September 1 2008 to discuss the bloc's response to Russia's recent actions in Georgia among speculations that despite the general condemnation of the Russian aggression and its subsequent recognition of the break-away Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, there will be no ground-breaking decision against the former Soviet fortress issued.

The European Council extraordinary meeting was called by the French presidency of the EU, who voiced its stance Russia's conduct jeopardised its ties with its European partners. “Russia's commitment to a relationship of understanding and co-operation with the rest of Europe is in doubt,” French president Nicolas Sarkozy wrote in a pre-summit letter to the European leaders, obtained by the Associated Press.

However, news agencies speculate Europe's top officials will not come out with a harsh decision against Russia, who is a major trade partner for most countries on the old continent, as well as their key energy supplier. Moreover, Russian authorities have warned imposing sanctions would not go without a response. The European Council is expected, therefore, to go for an increase of the aid for Georgia, as well as for sending more observers to the volatile region.

“The government in Moscow deserves criticism for its behaviour but that doesn't change the fact that security and stability in Europe can only be achieved with and not against Russia,” German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on August 31, as quoted by Reuters. “Thus Europe would only be hurting itself if we were to get full of emotion and slam all the doors shut to the rooms that we will want to enter afterwards.”

The crisis in the Caucasus started late on August 7, when Georgian troops launched ground operations in South Ossetia in response to what they called a Russian "provocation". Despite early successes, including briefly taking over the region's capital Tskhinvali, the Georgian forces were quickly pushed back by the Russian ones, which advanced deep into Georgian territory to effectively cut off communication between the western and eastern parts of the country.

In spite of the cease-fire Georgia and Russia signed a week later, Russian troops remained on Georgian territory amidst severe protests by the Georgian authorities and calls by the international community to immediately withdraw. On August 26, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev declared Russia's official recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Bulgaria will be represented at the European Council by Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev.