Ukrainian President Zelenskyy held a series of meetings with European leaders during the EU Summit in Brussels.
The European Council is preparing a decision on financing Ukraine's needs in 2026-2027, including the procurement of military equipment. European Council President António Costa stated that support would continue "as long as it takes," and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need to increase pressure on Putin.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to attend a meeting of the European Council, where further support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia will be discussed. EU leaders will also consider financial assistance, including the use of frozen Russian assets.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó denied reports about a possible relocation of the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to Budapest. He called them false, pointing to expected "disinformation" before events that influence the choice between war and peace.
Cyprus will focus on cutting red tape during its EU Council presidency, which begins on January 1, 2026. The country aims to foster a more business-friendly environment, enhancing the EU's competitiveness and resilience.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders, including Merz, Macron, and Starmer, advocated for an immediate ceasefire. They propose considering the current line of contact as a starting point for negotiations, supporting Trump's position.
Ukraine's allies are seeking to strengthen its position ahead of Trump-Putin talks, fearing a bad deal. They are preparing a support package that includes funding, weapons, and new sanctions against Russia, and plan to involve Zelenskyy in any negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. He announced numerous meetings and negotiations in Europe this week.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Europe's solidarity with Ukraine against Russian aggression is more important than ever before. This became clear after President Zelenskyy's negotiations at the White House and with European leaders.
European leaders, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Council President António Costa, expressed full support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his conversation with Donald Trump. They reaffirmed military, financial, and diplomatic assistance, as well as security guarantees for Ukraine.
The European Commission has presented the "Preserving Peace - Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030" to strengthen European defense capabilities. It includes four flagship areas and sets goals for achieving full defense readiness by 2030.
The EU Council discussed the future defense readiness roadmap, which will define goals and objectives until 2030. The document will be adopted on October 16 and presented on October 23, 2025.
From October 12, the EU is gradually implementing the biometric registration system EES, which will replace passport stamps. Ukrainians with temporary protection or a residence permit are not subject to registration, but for others, border crossing times may increase.
As of the end of August 2025, 4. 37 million Ukrainians had temporary protection in the EU, which is 30,980 more people than at the end of July. The largest increase was recorded in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
The EU is proposing a law that would oblige companies to scan messages in messengers before encryption. But many experts warn that this will undermine user privacy and security.
Polish and Baltic officials sharply reacted to statements by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who, in their opinion, partially blamed them for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Merkel pointed to the refusal of Eastern European countries to engage in direct negotiations with Putin in 2021.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof has expressed support for using frozen Russian assets to provide a loan to Ukraine, despite financial and legal risks. He emphasized the need for risk sharing to enable swift action.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof stated that the country does not support accelerating negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU by abolishing the unanimity principle. The Netherlands insists on adhering to the Copenhagen criteria and the unanimity principle, believing that changing the rules is not the way for Ukraine and Moldova to join the EU.
At the summit in Copenhagen, EU leaders discussed the use of frozen Russian assets to finance aid to Ukraine. A decision is expected at the European Council meeting on October 23-24.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council, and the Prime Minister of Denmark. They discussed European integration, the "Drone Wall" initiative, and the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that Russia would not stop until forced to. She emphasized that the war in Ukraine concerns all of Europe and its values.
President of the European Council António Costa stated that the Council meeting on October 23-24 will be a "day of decisions. " It will continue discussions on the use of Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need for concerted European action against Russia's hybrid attacks, which escalate into greater threats. He called for the creation of a "Drone Wall" and the intensification of defense production, as Ukraine has significant experience in defending against drones and missiles.
EU leaders at an informal summit discussed common defense, frozen Russian assets, and Ukraine's accession to the EU. Meetings of defense ministers and EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas will become more frequent.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke out against António Costa's plan to bypass Hungary's veto and accelerate Ukraine's accession to the EU. He also declared the country's dependence on Russian energy, despite US demands.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa held a trilateral discussion. Ukraine and pan-European defense capabilities were discussed.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban may find support in his attempts to hinder Ukraine's accession to the EU, particularly from French President Emmanuel Macron. The proposal by European Council President António Costa to change EU accession rules to circumvent Hungary's resistance is meeting opposition from a number of countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Greece.
The European Union is preparing to begin technical work on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova, despite Hungary's ongoing blocking of accession negotiations. The European Commission has proposed adjusting the rules to circumvent Hungary's veto, by starting technical work in several "clusters" even without an official decision.
Brussels welcomed the plan by European Council President António Costa, which involves bypassing Hungary's veto to advance Ukraine's and Moldova's applications for EU membership. The proposal would allow voting on the opening of negotiation clusters by a qualified majority of member states.
France and Sweden have sent military personnel and specialized systems to counter drones to Denmark ahead of two summits in Copenhagen. This was in response to drone incidents that caused flight delays.
