Gulf leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, are meeting with European Union officials in Brussels on October 16 for the first-ever EU-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, aimed at addressing escalating conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine.

The Saudi crown prince's last-minute confirmation heightened expectations for the talks, which come as the EU seeks closer cooperation with Gulf states on regional security, trade, and energy issues.

EU officials said the main focus would be on the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon, with one senior official stating, "One of the objectives is to avoid a general conflagration in the Middle East. Both sides are worried about this."

The summit, which begins at 2:00 pm (1200 GMT), follows a dinner for foreign ministers on Tuesday night. It precedes an EU leaders' summit scheduled for October 17.

While trade, energy, and climate change are on the agenda, EU diplomacy chief Josep Borrell emphasised shared concerns about regional peace and security.

The talks come amid ongoing conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and escalating tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border, raising fears of a wider regional war.

Gulf states, which have grown closer to Iran in recent years, have called for the creation of a Palestinian state and have played key roles in ceasefire efforts in Gaza.

The EU has called for ceasefires in both Gaza and Lebanon, where Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging cross-border fire.

Human Rights Watch has urged EU leaders to press their Gulf counterparts on reforms, including the release of political prisoners and improvements in labour and women's rights. However, human rights are not explicitly mentioned in the published agenda.

The summit is being co-chaired by European Council President Charles Michel and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, current holder of the GCC's rotating presidency.