EU summit: security agreement with Ukraine, no decision on top jobs yet

At the EU summit in Brussels today/Thursday, the European Union signed a security agreement with Ukraine, pledging to maintain support for the war-torn country. At the time of writing, the EU leaders did not yet reach an agreement on the new high-level EU jobs.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the 'special guest' at the European summit in Brussels. He amongst others came to Brussels to he came to sign a security agreement with the EU.

Such agreements already exist with several member states, including a treaty signed in late May with Belgium, and now with the EU as a whole. It mainly confirms the initiatives the EU was already taking to support Ukraine, in terms of security, but also around financial support, the gradual integration into the European internal market or the reconstruction of Ukraine. As not all EU countries have yet concluded such a security agreement, the European one serves mainly as an "umbrella".

The agreement also states that "the EU and Ukraine are ready to further deepen their cooperation and to review security commitments within 10 years at the latest". The Ukrainian commitments in the text revolve around, among other things, "implementing reforms in line with the path towards the European Union and in the areas of security, intelligence and defence" and "contributing positively" to the security of the EU and its member states.

It also mentions a new crisis mechanism. In the event of a future attack by Russia, consultations can take place within 24 hours at the request of Ukraine if Kyiv is forced to use its right to self-defence as set out in Article 51 of the UN charter.

Top jobs

Europe's 27 leaders are also expected to approve the preliminary deal on the next EU top jobs. The three main centrist political groups earlier reached an agreement: Ursula von der Leyen would continue as president of the European Commission, Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Costa would head the European Council and Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas would become the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Italy’s prime minister Georgia Meloni has reacted angrily to this news, describing the decision-making process as undemocratic.

Although the summit was initially scheduled for two days, it’s very possible that the whole agenda can be settled today.

_{European Council President Charles Michel, Ukraine's President Zelenskyy and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pose during a signature ceremony of the security agreement during the EU summit in Brussels on 27 June 2024 © BELGA PHOTO Olivier HOSLET / POOL / AFP}