On Thursday, Brussels will once again host EU leaders ready to discuss topics ranging from Ukraine to the bloc’s role in the Middle East, defence and more. Here’s what to look out for.
The leaders are set to discuss a €140 billion ‘reparation loan’ using frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance Kyiv’s war effort. All eyes will be on Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who has fiercely criticised the scheme and whose country holds most of the assets that were immobilised shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
EU countries will also attempt to persuade Slovakia’s premier, Robert Fico, to remove his veto on the bloc’s 19th sanctions package on Russia. The populist leader has linked Bratislava’s support for the measures to various other demands, including on energy prices, the automotive sector, and a CO2 emission allowance.
When it comes to defence, the EU-27 leaders are also expected to add flesh to the bones of the defence readiness roadmap for 2030 that the Commission dropped last week, which includes nine key “capability gaps,” areas of improvement for Europe’s collective defence.
For the first time, leaders will debate the housing situation across the 27 EU countries as the Commission prepares a plan in a bid to make housing across the bloc affordable, tackling short-term rentals, and reducing energy bills.
EU leaders are also expected to finally discuss the bloc’s 2040 climate target. A proposal to cut emissions by 90% compared to the 1990 level proved untenable, with a broad alliance ranging from Hungary to France demanding to discuss it at the EU summit table. But will leaders get to decide the bloc’s level of ambition?
Euractiv’s team will be inside the venue – follow along for up-to-the-minute coverage from Thursday morning onwards.
