European leaders to meet in Copenhagen on 1 October to discuss EU support for Ukraine

Ahead of the informal meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen on 1 October, Council President António Costa has said the meeting would focus on strengthening European common defence readiness and reinforcing the EU’s support for Ukraine.

In his invitation letter, published on 19 September, the European Council President said discussions would be structured around how to further support Ukraine and reach a just and lasting peace, and how to keep up EU support to Ukraine in a reliable and predictable manner.

“In recent weeks, we have seen significant progress on the security guarantees in the context of the Coalition of the Willing,” Costa said. “In order to help Ukraine achieve a just and lasting peace, we should in particular examine how to continue to support the Ukrainian armed forces as the primary guarantee of the country’s sovereignty and security, while increasing pressure on Russia, including by stepping up sanctions.”

Ukraine’s EU accession process must also stay on course, António Costa added in his letter: “Despite the war, Ukraine’s reform efforts have been remarkable. We must ensure this momentum is reflected in real steps towards accession.”

Costa also proposed the meeting should focus on concrete capability steps, with the objective of building a shared understanding of what is expected from the EU and Member States to meet the 2030 defence readiness target.

“Russia’s recent airspace violations in Poland and Romania are a stark reminder that we must accelerate and deepen our efforts,” he said, adding that, “our security is tied to Ukraine’s security.”

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