ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas will arrive in Islamabad on 1 June for high-level engagements and to co-chair the eighth round of the EU-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, according to an EU statement issued on Saturday.
The dialogue will be jointly led by Kallas and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and is expected to review the full scope of bilateral cooperation under the Strategic Engagement Plan signed in 2019. The framework covers political, economic, security and development cooperation between the two sides.
The EU described the Strategic Dialogue as its most senior institutional platform for engagement with Pakistan, providing an opportunity to exchange views on regional developments, global issues and areas of mutual interest. Officials said the discussions would also focus on future directions in bilateral relations, particularly in trade, climate cooperation and migration management.
During her visit, Kallas is scheduled to call on President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir. These meetings are expected to underscore the EU’s continued political and strategic engagement with Pakistan at the highest levels of government and military leadership.
The EU said the visit would also include interactions with think tanks and academic institutions, reflecting Brussels’ broader approach of engaging with civil society and policy researchers alongside formal government-to-government talks.
A joint press conference between Kallas and Ishaq Dar is expected after the conclusion of the dialogue session, where both sides are likely to brief the media on outcomes and areas of consensus. Audiovisual coverage will be made available through official EU channels.
Relations between Pakistan and the European Union have remained stable in recent years, supported by sustained cooperation on development assistance, trade under preferential frameworks, and coordination on global challenges including climate change and regional stability. Both sides have repeatedly emphasised the importance of maintaining regular high-level dialogue to strengthen institutional ties.
The upcoming visit is being viewed as part of continued diplomatic engagement aimed at reinforcing long-term cooperation and ensuring continuity in policy-level exchanges between Islamabad and Brussels.