During the first day of the European Union (EU) summit in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed security agreements with the European bloc, Estonia and Lithuania.
The two-day summit, which will discuss helping Ukraine to defend against a Russian invasion, is being held a few days after the EU began official negotiations on the accession of Kyiv, reports Reuters.
Ukraine, which has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion since February 2022, has signed security agreements with 17 countries this year.
The agreement with the European Union strengthens the support of the bloc to Kyiv in nine areas of security and defense policy, writes the editorial office of Radio Free Europe (RSE) in English.
The draft agreement obtained by RSE states that the EU supports Ukraine's reforms and its accession path to the EU, noting that the European bloc's total aid to Ukraine amounts to almost 100 billion euros, including 35 billion euros in military support.
"The EU is determined to continue providing Ukraine and its people with all necessary political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support as long as necessary," the document states.
It is emphasized that Russia must not win that war and it is added that Ukraine must return its territory annexed by Moscow.
The agreement outlines obligations regarding the delivery of military equipment, military training and cooperation between the European and Ukrainian defense industries.
The agreements that Zelensky signed with Lithuania and Estonia at the EU summit are intended to supplement other similar agreements signed between Ukraine and its allies.
These are not mutual defense pacts, but they are promises to provide arms and other assistance to Ukraine and deter any future invasion.
Stoltenberg also welcomed Zelenski in Brussels
On June 27, Zelenski also met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels to discuss the final preparations for the Washington Summit of the Alliance in July.
According to the Alliance's website, increasing support for Ukraine will be the main priority for the leaders of the alliance at the summit.
Stoltenberg told Zelensky that he expected the allies to agree that NATO should take the lead in coordinating and providing security assistance and training to Ukraine.
He congratulated Zelenski on signing the security agreement with the EU, but also on the start of negotiations on joining the European bloc.
Distribution of key positions on the agenda
The focus of the two-day summit is also the distribution of leading positions in the EU institutions.
The leaders of the member states should appoint candidates for the president of the European Commission and the high representative for foreign and security policy by a qualified majority.
Since it is a package, they should also agree on the name of the future president of the European Council, whose election is the responsibility of the heads of state or government of the member states, as well as the president of the European Parliament, who is elected by MEPs.
Negotiators from three political groups, the European People's Party (EPP), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the Liberals (Renew), reached an agreement on the top positions.
They agreed that Ursula von der Leyen should get a second term at the head of the European Commission.
The President of the European Council, as agreed, should be the former Portuguese Prime Minister, socialist Antonio Košta, the Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kalas should become the High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, while the President of the European Parliament should remain the Maltese woman Roberta Metsola for the next two years.
According to the agencies, six negotiators participated in the meeting - Polish and Greek Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Kyriakos Mitsotakis for the EPP, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez for the S&D, and French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the Liberals.
The appointment of Ursula von der Leyen to the European Council seems certain after this agreement, but it is less certain that she will get a supermajority (361 votes) in the European Parliament, even though these parties have a majority of 399 deputies, because they do not always vote the way they do. the majority in their caucuses.
On Tuesday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sharply criticized the "EPP's deal with the leftists and liberals", saying that it is "against everything that the EU is based on.
"Instead of inclusion, he sows the seeds of division. The highest officials in the EU should represent all member states, not just leftists and liberals," announced Orban, whose country will take over the EU presidency on July 1.
The Prime Minister of Italy, Đorđa Meloni, assessed on Wednesday that the agreement of the six European leaders on the division of key positions does not respect the will of the citizens expressed in the European elections.
Leaders and EU expansion, the situation in the Middle East
At the two-day summit, EU leaders should also adopt a strategic program that defines the guidelines for EU action in the next five years.
At the summit, leaders should welcome the adoption of negotiating frameworks for Ukraine and Moldova, as well as common positions for chapters on justice and fundamental rights for Montenegro, which should allow it to speed up negotiations.
"The summit will be an opportunity to welcome the adoption of the negotiating frameworks and the holding of intergovernmental conferences with Ukraine, Moldova and Montenegro", stated the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, in the invitation letter for the summit, adding that these are "historic steps in supporting the path of these countries towards the European membership".
"It is also imperative that we step up military support to Ukraine and continue to garner broad international support for a just peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter," he added.
When it comes to the Middle East, the EU leaders at the summit are expected to call for respect for international humanitarian law, the implementation of the proposal for a cease-fire contained in the UN Security Council resolution, repeat the call for a cease-fire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and request increase in humanitarian aid.
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