The Ukrainian president will participate in the meeting of the European Council in Brussels this Thursday. The meeting pre-eminently has a symbolic function, but also provides for the discussion of specific topics.
Volodymyr Zelensky landed around 9 am.
Welcome to Brussels, dear @ZelenskyyUa
The heart of the European family, to which Ukraine belongs.
We will support Ukraine every step of the way towards our Union. pic.twitter.com/eELXeZYmM5
– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 9, 2023
Welcome home, welcome to the EU @ZelenskyyUA. pic.twitter.com/0Jww2dDKdI
-Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) February 9, 2023
According to diplomatic sources, the meeting’s agenda includes talks on arms shipments to Ukraine, as well as the enlargement dossier, on the process of joining the European Union. Also on the table will be the ten-point plan presented by Volodymyr Zelensky as a proposal for peace.
This will “primarily” be an opportunity for the 27 “to reaffirm support for Ukraine, in all its dimensions”. The meeting will also serve for European leaders to formally learn about the results of the summit that took place less than a week ago in Kiev with the European Union’s institutional representatives, a European source at DN said.
The diplomatic corridors in Brussels admit that there may be “no news” or new announcements of support for Kiev, although the visit is seen as something “absolutely natural”, knowing that the European Union is “one of its biggest donors”. .
According to the draft conclusions of the summit, the sum total of all aid to Ukraine is “67 billion euros”, divided into financial aid, humanitarian aid and financing of all institutional operations through 2023, as well as aid in the form of war materials.
Among the topics discussed will be the responsibility of Russia for the aggression against Ukraine, as well as the question of reconstruction after the war. Brussels has expressed a “commitment” to make Vladimir Putin “pay for his actions in Ukraine”.
The statements were made by the president of the community administrator, Ursula von der Leyen, who defends the creation of a special center to collect and analyze all available information related to war crimes. The center will operate in The Hague, the seat of the International Criminal Court.
No new announcements are expected in the context of enlargement either, knowing that Ukrainian accession is expected soon, despite divisions within the European Council itself.
The head of the Portuguese government, António Costa, admits that “for these enlargements to succeed, it is essential that the EU does not ignore the need to reform itself beforehand”.
“In addition to Ukraine having to meet the accession criteria, it is above all the European Union that must ask itself whether it is necessary to implement institutional and budgetary reforms so that it has the capacity to ensure that the expectations it has raised, not translate into frustration,” António Costa stressed during the parliamentary debate preparing Thursday’s summit.
The summit starts at 9am (10am in Brussels). According to a sketch of the summit’s choreography, consulted by the DN, Volodymyr Zelensky should join the European leaders half an hour later. The summit will be interrupted in the middle of the morning as bilateral or wider meetings are planned. Work will resume in the early afternoon.
Other topics
Also at the summit, but without the participation of Volodymyr Zelensky, European leaders will discuss the European response to fight inflation.
“As global markets become more competitive, we must ensure that we are at the forefront of the digital and green transition,” European Council President Charles Michel defended in the letter of invitation that he usually communicates to Heads of State or Government, the topics of the meeting of the European Council.
“We want to remain at the forefront of innovation and the deployment of net-zero technologies, for example, and we are determined to advance our strategic sovereignty,” he stated.
As for the plan presented by the European Commission on February 1 for the revitalization of European industry, the discussion should only serve as a “base for future work”, the President of the European Council himself admitted, hoping to return come to the theme “in the March and June meetings.
Also on the table is “the migration situation”, at a time when the European Union, says Charles Michel, “is confronted with an increase in the number of irregular border crossings on most routes”. Therefore, he defends, “it is necessary to find a sustainable, responsible and humane solution” at the European level
“I propose that we focus in particular on the external dimension of migration, strengthening our external action, improving return and readmission, better controlling our external borders and fighting human trafficking and smuggling”, defends Charles Michel .
Source: DN
