‘No territorial concession’, Zelenskyy says as he arrives at EU summit

EU leaders gathering in Brussels on Thursday will have one clear goal in mind: to back Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s peace efforts and keep US President Donald Trump on board.

Zelenskyy, who is joining the summit, welcomed the decisions by the EU and US on Wednesday to slap additional sanctions on Russia. He also made clear that he will accept “no territorial concessions” in peace talks.

However, one of the thorniest points of discussion will be over the Commission’s plan for a reparation loan – ie, using immobilised Russian assets held in Belgium to finance Kyiv’s defence and reconstruction – with the EU keen to ensure it is legally airtight.

Other issues leaders will chew on also include moving forward with plans to boost European defence, and how to bolster the bloc’s competitiveness while keeping true to its climate commitments. In fact, one EU official described the climate file as “the most difficult” for leaders to address.

Other items on the agenda include the Middle East, migration and housing.

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