Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Leaders of the European Union’s 27 member states will gather in Brussels on Thursday to talk about steeper sanctions on Russia, strategies to avoid new U.S. tariffs, and how to assert their influence in the Middle East disputes.
Most countries’ heads are arriving from a brief NATO meeting, where they committed to a significant increase in defence spending and smoothed over some of their differences with U.S. President Donald Trump.
As reported by AP News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will participate in the EU summit via videoconference, following his meeting with Trump on Wednesday. Although NATO, led by the U.S., has downgraded Ukraine’s importance from a top priority to a secondary issue this week, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine remains a top concern for the EU.
What are EU leaders expected to discuss in Brussels?
Member nations will be debating an 18th round of sanctions against Russia, as well as whether to keep a price cap on Russian oil. Some nations are opposed to these measures, as they may drive up energy prices.
At the same time, the EU is feeling the pressure of Trump’s threatened tariffs, which affect all 27 member countries. On Wednesday, he criticised Spain for not investing enough in defense and hinted at more tariffs. Meanwhile, France’s president scolded Trump for escalating a trade war with longtime allies.
European nations’ heads are also worried about the impact of the Middle East wars, and the EU is trying to restart diplomatic talks with Iran over its nuclear program.
EU countries face internal disagreements that need to be addressed. They’re split over how to approach European policy toward Israel due to its actions in Gaza. Meanwhile, left-leaning parties are criticising European Commissioner Ursula von Der Leyen’s shift away from the EU’s climate leadership to focus on military spending.
Defence and security are expected to dominate the agenda. The summit will wrap up with a statement of key findings that will shape the bloc’s priorities for the next four months and serve as a barometer for European public opinion on major regional and global problems.
When did EU leaders last meet?
The last EU-level meeting of the European Union leaders before the upcoming June 26-27, 2025, summit was held on March 20, 2025. At the March 2025 meeting, EU leaders discussed Ukraine but could not form agreed conclusions because Hungary blocked the conclusions. Ultimately, 26 of the 27 member states agreed to separate conclusions.
