LAST UPDATE | 27 Jun

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR Zelenskyy was today in Brussels, where he urged EU leaders to deliver on their pledges to provide military support. 

Zelenskyy spoke to reporters as he arrived at the two-day meeting of the European Council and said weapons were needed “urgently” on the battlefield against Russian troops.

The EU and Ukraine have this evening finalised a long-term security arrangement between the two entities, after the EU formally opened accession talks with the country earlier this week. 

The agreement will outline the EU’s plans to support Ukraine with military, financial, humanitarian and political aid over a number of years. 

It mirrors similar agreements Ukraine has in place with other countries including the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom. 

Ukraine has portrayed the agreements as a bridge towards membership in the EU and NATO.

Speaking to reporters alongside Zelenskyy earlier, European Council President Charles Michel said the EU is “giving the signal that we are not intimidated by Russia.”

“We are motivated and determined because the Ukrainians are fighting to defend their future, their land, and the future of their children. They are also fighting to defend our common values, our common dreams for more peace, more prosperity, and more security,” he said.

The Irish delegation

Meanwhile, earlier today Taoiseach Simon Harris said he was looking forward to meeting Zelenskyy during summit and that he would “reiterate Ireland’s steadfast support for Ukraine”.

In addition to Russia’s war in Ukraine, leaders are in Brussels to discuss the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and security and defence. 

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Harris said the items on the agenda “demonstrate the serious challenges we face”.

“The EU must continue to deliver on our promise to be with Ukraine in their fight against ongoing Russian aggression for as long as it takes.”

Harris said it’s important that the Council is in a position to welcome the agreement that will provide more military assistant to Ukraine, as well as longer-term security guarantees.

“Building on the recent Summit on Peace in Ukraine, it is also important that the EU works to rally international support for a just peace based on the UN charter.” he said.

Gaza

On the Middle East, the Taoiseach said he will be pushing his fellow leaders to support international law and to exert “appropriate leverage on the parties – including the Israeli Government – to reverse a trajectory that is exacting an unacceptable human toll and is putting the security of the region at risk”.

“We must be clear in urging all parties to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2735, to deliver an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostage and a surge in desperately needed humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza.”

He said they also need to provide further support to the Palestinian Authority and recommit “to doing all we can to support a peace process based on the two-state solution as the only way to deliver a just and lasting peace”.

Top jobs

EU leaders are now also set to sign-off on some of the key jobs in the Union’s key institutions following the European elections earlier this month.

Discussions on this are expected to go long into the evening.

Harris said earlier: “At a time of great challenge for our Union, we need a strong team and we need that team in place as soon as possible to get on with the work of delivering for our citizens.”

There has been some controversy in recent days over who is in line for the key roles, with both Italy and Hungary’s far-right leaderships denouncing their exclusion from negotiations.

Ahead of today’s summit, an agreement had been reached between the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the centrist Renew Europe to split the jobs among them.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni decried the agreement that her grouping, the hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), has been left out of, and said leaders were acting like “oligarchs” and betraying voters. 

Over the course of the next two days, leaders will also confirm their nominee for European Commissioner President. This nominee will then be put to a vote in the European Parliament, where it is largely expected Ursula von der Leyen will secure a second term.

With reporting from Jane Moore. Contains reporting from AFP.