EU to avoid membership talk at summit with eastern states, draft says

FILE PHOTO: European Council President Charles Michel talks during an online joint news conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (not pictured) following an EU-Eastern Partnership Leaders' summit via videoconference at the Europa building in Brussels, Belgium June 18, 2020. Francisco Seco/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A European Union summit with the bloc's eastern neighbours will confirm support for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in their bid to move closer to the bloc but make no promise of future EU membership, according to a draft final statement.

In part overshadowed by the Belarus crisis, the EU summit on Dec. 15 will bring together Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, with Minsk likely to be represented with a Belarusian flag and an empty chair, diplomats said.