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.
Senior EU officials have endorsed Trump's 20-point plan for resolving the situation in Gaza, stating that it offers a chance to end the war. They are urging Hamas to accept it without delay, starting with the immediate release of hostages.
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.
The European Union must radically transform due to Putin's provocations and Trump's semi-detachment. EU countries are looking for ways to counter the Kremlin's aggressive rhetoric.
European Council President António Costa is leading efforts to advance Ukraine's EU membership bid, despite Hungary's resistance. He is trying to garner support from EU capitals for simplifying the accession procedure for new members, proposing to open negotiation clusters with the consent of a qualified majority of EU countries.
Serhiy Kyslytsia, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, reported the absence of signs of the Kremlin's readiness for a trilateral meeting. He emphasized the importance of such a format for resolving the conflict.
Russian kamikaze drones, while attacking Ukraine, violated Polish airspace, causing international resonance. World leaders call for increased support for Ukraine and the defense of Europe.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated that the war in Ukraine requires the EU to be ready for defense. Lithuania invests 4% of its GDP in defense, expecting greater EU participation in security programs.
European Council President António Costa stated that the EU and Donald Trump have stabilized relations. This happened after agreements on defense spending, trade, and cooperation on Ukraine.
The European Union is sending a delegation to Washington to prepare new joint sanctions against Russia. European Council President António Costa confirmed increased pressure through further direct and secondary sanctions.
Robert Fico and António Costa met on the border with Ukraine. They discussed Fico's visit to China and the regional situation.
António Costa stated that Russia's unwillingness to start peace talks indicates its true intentions. He emphasized that Putin deliberately delays any negotiation processes.
Ukrainian specialists are improving armaments, but financial constraints pose serious challenges. President Zelenskyy is working with partners on financing new weapons clusters, including drones and missiles.
President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine fulfills all EU recommendations, therefore he sees no grounds for claims from Hungary. He is ready for dialogue and a meeting with Prime Minister Orbán to discuss all issues.
President Zelenskyy stated that Russia has finally realized the significance of Ukraine's EU membership, although it took too long. He also criticized certain European countries, particularly Hungary, for continuing to purchase Russian energy resources.
The President announced the existence of a security guarantee plan with partners, which includes air and sea defense. After the war, the Ukrainian army will be rearmed and modernized.
President Zelenskyy stated that 26 out of 35 countries are ready to provide real security support to Ukraine, including the USA. He also discussed with Trump paths to peace and disappointment with some European countries that finance Russia.
European Council President António Costa will arrive in Uzhhorod on September 5. He will participate in the Congress of Regional Authorities together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Bulgaria has transferred a third of the EU's weaponry to Kyiv since February 2022. The country is the only one in the EU where the largest private employer is a defense company.
The State Emergency Service has completed the elimination of the consequences of the night shelling of Kyiv on August 28. In the Darnytskyi district, a five-story building was destroyed, 22 residents were killed, including four children. In total, 25 people were killed across the city.
Zelenskyy met with the President of the European Council, António Costa, reporting 25 dead, including four children, as a result of the Russian strike on Kyiv. Security guarantees, Ukraine's EU membership, drone financing, and the 19th EU sanctions package were discussed.
The EU representation in Kyiv was damaged as a result of a massive Russian attack. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa stated that the European Union would not be intimidated.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed his visit to Washington with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. They emphasized that security guarantees are the key to a reliable and lasting peace.
President Zelenskyy discussed with the President of the European Council, António Costa, further steps and the preparation of the 19th package of EU sanctions against Russia. Pressure on Russia must increase until it takes real steps to stop the war.
European Council President António Costa discussed further steps for peace with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. European countries will work on specific security guarantees for Ukraine.
The President of the European Council, António Costa, stated the need to accelerate work on security guarantees for Ukraine, similar to NATO's Article 5. He emphasized that the Ukrainian military should be the "first line of defense," and the main security guarantee should be Ukraine's armed forces capable of defending its sovereignty.
