EU leaders will hold a strategic debate on Russia and discuss its illegal and provocative steps at a special meeting in Brussels on May 24-25, 2021.

"As agreed at our videoconference in March, we will hold a strategic debate on Russia. Russia's illegal and provocative steps continue both in the EU member states and beyond, the most recent of which was the so-called list of 'unfriendly states'," the letter of invitation from the President of the European Council Charles Michel to the members of the European Council before their special meeting says.

The letter indicates that further discussion between the leaders would be useful to formalize in form of report of the High Representative and the European Commission in accordance with the five guiding principles of relations between the EU and Russia.