Prague - European Union leaders gathered in Prague on Thursday for a series of three summits in 36 hours as the bloc grappled with the problems of rising unemployment, energy insecurity and instability across its Eastern border.

Top politicians from the Czech Republic, holder of the EU's rotating presidency until the end of June, opened the day with officials from the European Commission and business and union leaders at a summit aimed at saving European jobs in the economic crisis.

Commission forecasts say that some 8.5 million Europeans are likely to lose their jobs in the next two years.

The leaders were set to be joined in the afternoon by top-level politicians from the EU's 27 member states, and from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as the bloc launched its "Eastern Partnership" initiative.

EU diplomats say that the project is intended to boost stability in the former USSR by encouraging the six partner countries to bring in pro-democracy and free-market reforms in return for trade and travel privileges.

But Russia has accused the EU of using the initiative to build a "sphere of influence" around its borders.

On Friday, Czech and commission leaders are set to meet with leaders from Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for a summit dedicated to energy and transport links between the Middle East, Central Asia and the EU.

According to drafts of the summit declaration seen by the German Press Agency dpa, its main aim is to get gas and oil producers to set aside part of their production for the EU's use, transit countries to agree to firm rules on transit pricing, and the EU to promise to buy the energy products when they are offered. (dpa)