Zelenskyy to address EU leaders again at summit – Costa's letter to EU leaders
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address the leaders of the European Union at the upcoming meeting of the European Council, which will be held on June 18-19 in Brussels.
This is stated in an invitation letter to the heads of state and government of EU member states from President of the European Council António Costa, the text of which was released in Brussels on Thursday.
"Ukraine remains high on our agenda, and we will start our discussion by hearing from President Zelenskyy. Ukraine has demonstrated renewed success on the battlefield, while Russia is failing to achieve its military and strategic objectives. Russia’s increasingly reckless and irresponsible behaviour towards EU Member States is unacceptable and signals the opposite of strength. Our two-pronged approach – supporting Ukraine and increasing pressure on Russia – is working," the letter says.
Costa noted that this meeting "will provide an opportunity to send a powerful signal of unity and, I expect, to welcome the opening of the first cluster of chapters in accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, which is an important milestone on their path to the EU."
"This puts an end to a long impasse in the accession process of those two countries. Together with the momentum regarding the Western Balkans, as seen during our recent Summit in Tivat with partners of that region, there is a renewed impetus in the enlargement process," the President of the European Council said.
Announcing the general agenda, he noted that "in a complex geopolitical context, we will consider several key issues for our citizens and our companies, including competitiveness and global economic challenges, the multi-annual financial framework of the European Union for 2028-2034, as well as Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East."
Costa pointed out that recent drone incursions into EU airspace, including the crash of a Russian drone carrying explosives into a residential building in Romania, "highlight the urgency of advancing our common defense readiness agenda, in particular by strengthening the EU’s eastern flank."
"While progress has been made on defence spending and capabilities, much more remains to be done," he said.
The latest developments in the Middle East, including the conflict in Iran and its broader consequences, in particular for energy prices, will also be the subject of discussion. "We will also discuss the dramatic situation in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as developments in Lebanon, including continued EU efforts to support a ceasefire and the Lebanese state and its people," the President of the European Council added.
The letter specifies that, as at previous – and future – meetings of the European Council, "our discussions will focus on the cornerstone of Europe’s prosperity and social model: the competitiveness of our economy."
"We will therefore start our meeting by reviewing progress on the ‘One Europe, One Market’ agenda, together with the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission, and as part of the presentation of the main results of the Cyprus Presidency by President Christodoulides. The ongoing joint monitoring carried out by the three institutions will contribute to this discussion," Costa said.
Economic issues will also be the subject of discussion by the leaders during dinner. "I would like us to focus on global macroeconomic imbalances and their consequences for Europe’s competitiveness and prosperity. The goal is to develop a common understanding of the challenges and provide the Commission with recommendations for further action. Europe must do its economic homework, but at the same time, fair competition at the global level requires a level playing field," the President of the European Council explained.
Leaders are also invited to discuss the EU’s main financial document – the Multi-annual Financial Framework.
Costa named migration and illegal drugs as other issues. "Our meeting will start on Thursday, 18 June, at 18:00 and my aim is to conclude the proceedings after lunch on Friday, 19 June," Costa said.