European leaders expected to reaffirm their support for Ukraine at Granada summit, says EU chief

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – Top leaders from over 40 European countries are expected to reaffirm their support for Ukraine against Russian aggression at the European Political Community summit in Spain, EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters on the way to the summit in Granada, Spain, von der Leyen stressed that "at the core of our discussion is our support for Ukraine."

She underlined that Ukraine needs “predictability, reliability, and direct budget support,” and the European Union is planning a €50 billion ($52.6 billion) financial package for Ukraine for the period between 2024 and 2027.

Von der Leyen also confirmed that she “is very confident” that the US will deliver the promised financial aid to Ukraine, despite the recently adopted budget deal lacking direct support for the country in war.

She explained that the European leaders will discuss energy issues as well as other current developments, including situations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

For his part, European Council President Charles Michel highlighted the “relevance of the meeting, which is an opportunity for (European leaders) to exchange views on topics that matter to the continent.”

He also explained that the summit aims to “bring the European continent closer to common goals on stability, prosperity, security.”

This is the third reunion of the European Political Community, which was launched in Oct. 2022 in the Czech capital Prague to foster dialogue among European countries.

The event is hosted Spanish government that assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in July.