Zelenskyy to attend EU summit in Cyprus in person – media
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend the EU summit in Cyprus in person on Thursday, rather than participating via video link as previously announced, Politico reports, citing European Council President Antonio Costa, who will chair the meeting.
"We will be happy to welcome President Zelenskyy in person at this extremely significant moment," Costa said in a comment to the publication.
As reported, EU heads of state and government will gather on Thursday for an informal summit in Cyprus, which will take place in the cities of Nicosia and Ayia Napa on April 23 and 24. "During the meeting, they will focus on the geopolitical situation, European response measures and the 2028-2034 multiannual financial framework," according to materials for the meeting.
On the second day of the summit, key regional partners from the Middle East will join European leaders for a working lunch "to discuss the situation in the region, common challenges and new opportunities for cooperation."
The informal meeting will be chaired by European Council President Antonio Costa. It will be organized by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, as Cyprus currently holds the presidency of the Council of the EU, the European Council said. EU leaders will discuss the conflict in Iran and the situation in the Middle East, which Brussels admits "is a serious problem for the EU."
In this context, it is planned to consider "Europe’s contribution to de-escalation and peace, freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and the consequences of high fossil fuel prices." The implementation of decisions adopted at the European Council meeting on March 19, 2026, particularly in the energy sector, will also be discussed.
The summit documents note that given the overall geopolitical situation, discussions may cover aspects related to Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union (on mutual defense).
On the eve, the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) of EU member states managed to agree for approval by the EU Council the European Commission’s proposals on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia and on a EUR 90 bln loan for Ukraine thanks to Hungary withdrawing its veto. The EU Council’s decision by written procedure, according to Western media, is expected during the meeting in Cyprus.
European leaders will discuss the long-term EU budget for 2028-2034 – the EU’s multiannual financial plan – in particular "to align the EU’s ambitions with the appropriate level of funding."
EU heads of state and government will focus their attention on new own resources – sources of income in the EU budget – and on how the multiannual financial plan can contribute to the long-term program to increase EU competitiveness.
