European leaders gathered in Brussels for a summit where the European Council will decide on key appointments and strategic agenda for the Union. The agenda will guide the work of the next Commission, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in attendance to discuss the situation in Ukraine and Middle East. The summit is also attended by Finland’s Prime Minister, who expressed satisfaction with the EU’s strategic direction, which aligns with key goals important to Finland. The meeting may be accelerated due to early parliamentary elections in France.
The “grand coalition” of the European Parliament reached an agreement on key appointments for the next term, including Ursula von der Leyen continuing to lead the EU Commission. Italy’s Prime Minister expressed frustration at being left out of talks last week, emphasizing the need for large member countries like Italy to be visible in decision-making. The heads of state also discussed progress made in both appointment package and content matters during this summit.
