EU leaders in Brussels to discuss budget and support for Ukraine

Oeuropean Union (EU) leaders are meeting today in Brussels to discuss new measures to contain energy prices and move forward in negotiations on the next EU budget, with financial support for Ukraine on the agenda.

The summit, which starts this morning and is due to end on Friday afternoon, takes place in a context of pressure on energy prices, differences between Member States on the next Community budget and geopolitical tensions, with particular reference to the war in Ukraine and the need to secure the financing of European support for Kiev.

In the field of energy, “the European Council is going to ask the Commission to submit further measures” to respond to the energy crisis, a high European official said during a meeting in anticipation of this high-level meeting, acknowledging that “there is no miracle solution” to lower prices.

Among the measures under preparation are the optimization of the capacity of European refineries and the aggregation of energy demand.

Leaders will also look at the Irish Presidency's proposal for the EU's multiannual budget by 2034, which provides for 8% cuts from the European Commission's proposal.

The President of the European Council, António Costa, will take over the conduct of the negotiations with the aim of reaching an agreement by December.

“The deadline we have in mind is December,” said a senior European official.

Portugal has secured a national allocation of €35.1 billion in the proposal of the Irish Presidency of the EU, but it requires an additional €1 billion for the outermost regions, the Azores and Madeira.

The country has already threatened to block the agreement if it does not achieve this amount, which is foreseen in the EU Treaties.

“For Portugal, there is no agreement if there is no funds for the outermost regions,” said a Portuguese diplomatic source.

On Friday, the Heads of State and Government of the 27 of the EU should welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss financial and military support for Kiev and the strengthening of pressure on Moscow.

Divergences with the United States should also be addressed, after European leaders have classified an energy agreement between Washington and Moscow as ‘deployable’, as contrary to the European strategy of reducing dependence on Russia.

The European summit will also address the hybrid threats posed to Russia and the European defence and security response.

Portugal will be represented by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.