‘It’s great we are not alone,’ says Volodymyr Zelenskyy as EU leaders gather for defence summit – Europe live

Before coming to the EU summit, Zelenskyy was welcomed in Brussels by the Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever, who reassured him in a bilateral meeting that Ukraine “can count on our continued support.”

He added that Belgium would not accept any decisions about Ukraine’s future made without Ukrainian leaders.

“Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. We must never lose sight of that,” he said.

Ukrainian opposition leaders have dismissed the idea of holding a wartime election, after a media report of contacts between them and US officials and in the wake of President Donald Trump calling his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” for not holding one, Reuters reports.

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko said on Thursday his team was working with US “partners” to maintain support for Ukraine – but he added that he was opposed to a wartime election.

In a written statement published on Telegram, Poroshenko said elections should only happen after peace had been established. He added that a vote should take place no later than 180 days after the end of the war.

Yuliia Tymoshenko, another opposition leader, said her team “is talking with all our allies who can help in securing a just peace as soon as possible,” and said that elections should not take place before this had been achieved.

Politico reported on Wednesday that four senior members of Trump’s entourage had held discussions with some of Zelenskiy’s top political opponents.

The talks were held with Tymoshenko and senior members of the party of Poroshenko, who was president from 2014 to 2019, Politico reported, citing three Ukrainian lawmakers and a U.S. Republican foreign policy expert.

The discussions focused on whether Ukraine could have quick presidential elections, according to the report.

Since concerns about Hungary and Slovakia keep coming up, let’s spend a second looking at why the two countries oppose further support for Ukraine.

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán said earlier this week that “continuing the war in Ukraine is bad, dangerous, and a mistake,” insisting that Ukraine should instead agree to take part in US-led peace talks with Russia at the earliest opportunity.

Last week he wrote to European Council president António Costa that there were “strategic differences in our approach to Ukraine that cannot be bridged”.

In turn, Robert Fico – who faces major protests in the country over his increasingly pro-Russian position in foreign policy – told reporters that he would oppose increase in defence spending, and said he wanted a mention of reopening Russian gas transit through Ukraine – a major route of energy for Slovakia which Kyiv stopped this year – as part of summit conclusions, according to reports by SITA and Sme.

Repeating unfounded allegations of widespread corruption in Ukraine, he said he was not prepared to support sending more money to Kyiv “as half of it would get stolen.”

“Of course that Zelenskyy is interested in keeping the war going, because he does not have a mandate, and knows well that he would not be re-elected as president,” he said.

He insisted that Ukraine should agree to an immediate ceasefire and not demand it to be a part of a broader peace arrangement.

Fico also said that Slovak representatives would not take part in next week’s Paris meeting, organised by president Macron, as he does not want Slovakia to be a part of any talks on expanding the French nuclear deterrent.

German outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz says today’s meeting is about ensuring continued support for Ukraine, but also pointedly stresses the importance of maintaining good relations with the US.

Scholz also acknowledges plans put forward by the presumed future chancellor Friedrich Merz to boost its defence spending, “including by changing the constitution,” and he says there appears to be a growing domestic consensus on this issue.

He says the EU needs to change its rules along similar lines to ensure it can meet the challenge, but keeping an eye on “long-term solutions.”

Asked about Macron’s proposals on nuclear deterrence, he says that Europe should not give up on the US involvement. His long-standing criticism on this point relates to fears that any extension of the French programme would allow the US to disengage with European security further.

Scholz also once again rejects the idea of common European defence bonds.

Asked about any peace talks, he says “it is very important that we ensure that Ukraine does not have to accept a dictated peace, but that we have a fair, just peace that guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence.”

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk says “it is a day when everything can change and probably will change, when it comes to Europe’s determination when it comes to rearming [Europe] and the defence industry and our readiness to face this Russian challenge to the world.”

“Europe as a whole is truly capable of winning any military, financial, economic confrontation with Russia – we are simply stronger,” he says.

He compares the situation to the cold war, saying he is confident “Russia will lose this arm race, just like the Soviet Union did 40 years ago.”

He says the French proposal on nuclear deterrence is “worth considering,” and should form a part of a wider move to coordinate European defence efforts.

Luxembourg’s prime minister Luc Frieden told reporters that more European defence was needed and today’s Council should take decisions even if some countries disagree with what is being proposed.

“We need more European defence and if one or two countries do not want to share that view, I think that the others should go ahead as much as they can. And that is what I am advocating for,” he said.

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said it was “about damn time” for European leaders to “say that we are ready to put finally our money where our mouth is on Ukraine.”

This is something that we have been asking for a long time: that the European Union, that Europe is capable of standing up on its own two feet.

That’s why we’ve been saying we need to scale up. We need to be prepared. We need to produce and we need to protect.

That is essentially what our citizens are asking from us.

On his arrival, Zelenskyy thanks European leaders for their “strong support” which he says he has seen “from the very beginning of the war and … during all this period and last week, you stay[ed] with us.”

We are very thankful that we are not alone.

And these are not just words. We feel it.

It’s very important you [sent] a strong signal to Ukrainian people, to Ukrainian warriors, to civilians, to all our families.

And it’s great that we are not alone.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is here, flanked by European Council president António Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen on his arrival.

Costa says European leaders need to “make decisions and deliver” on their promises as they face the seriousness of the situation.

“We are here to support Ukraine to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace,” he says.

Turning to Zelenskyy, he pointedly says “we are with you, we will continue with you now and in the future,” as he says he sees Ukraine as a “future member state.”

Von der Leyen says it is “a watershed” moment for Europe and Ukraine as the continent “faces a clear and present danger.”

She goes through the details of the EU’s plan to rearm Europe.

You can watch leaders’ arrivals with us here:

Latvian prime minister Evika Siliņa says she hopes for “swift actions and really clear decisions” at today’s summit, so the bloc can focus on “boosting up our military industry.”

She says Ukraine needs to secure peace “through strength, but without strength … there will be no lasting peace,” as Russia would only use this opportunity to “rearm and after some years, … step again to some other countries.”

She also gets asked about Macron’s proposals, saying that no decisions have been made on this, “probably to have some discussions in our country as well, because it is something new … so it is really too soon to give some real answers to that question.”

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen says that “the most important thing now is to rearm Europe.”

“I do not think we have a lot of time. So [we need to] rearm Europe: spend, spend, spend on defence and deterrence,” she says.

Asked about Macron’s proposal on nuclear deterrence, she says “we have to discuss everything now so all good ideas around the table have to be a part of our discussion.”

Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda is one of the first European leaders to stop and chat with journalists on the way into today’s European Council.

He says “there is no need to explain … how important this meeting is,” with “Ukraine buying the precious time for us every day, paying with their blood.”

“It would be highly irresponsible to waste this time and to have long hours discussions without the clear outcome,” he says.

He calls for “flexible” approach to defence spending in fiscal deficit rules, and more support for Ukraine.

Nausėda also pointedly says the EU needs to strenghten the Eastern flank to help it protect critical infrastructure from acts of sabotage, hybrid aggression, and other forms of undermining the border countries.

Asked about Macron’s idea of expanding the French nuclear umbrella would serve “as a really, very serious deterrence towards Russia.”

The Lithuanian president also said the EU needs to take decisions today regardless of potential opposition from Hungary or Slovakia, “because otherwise history will penalise us.”

“It’s lasting too long, our inability to take decisions. And now it’s the time [to act],” he said.

The Kremlin has offered its comments on last night’s address by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, in the last few minutes, saying that his words were “extremely confrontational.”

“The feeling is that France wants the war to continue,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed.

He also said Russian president Vladimir Putin agreed with US state secretary Marco Rubio’s view that the invasion of Ukraine was “a proxy war” between the US, helping Ukraine, and Russia, which “needs to come to an end.”

“We can and want to agree with it, and we agree with it. That’s the way it is. We have said this repeatedly. We have said that this is actually a conflict between Russia and the collective West. And the main country of the collective West is the United States of America,” Peskov said of Rubio’s remarks.

“So it is absolutely in line with the position that our president and foreign minister have repeatedly expressed. We have said this repeatedly, and yes, we agree that it is time to stop this conflict and this war,” he added.

Separately, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said that Macron’s comments on expanding the protection of France’s nuclear arsenal to other European countries posed a threat to Russia.

“If he considers us a threat, convenes a meeting of the chiefs of general staff of European countries and Britain, says it is necessary to use nuclear weapons, prepares to use nuclear weapons against Russia, this is, of course, a threat,” Lavrov was quoted by state news agency RIA as saying.

Lavrov also said that any presence of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine would be seen as the official involvement of Nato forces in the war and Russia would “not allow this to happen.”

Lisa O’Carroll

Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin has said he won’t be asking Keir Starmer for tips on how to handle Donald Trump when he meets him in Washington next week.

“I won’t be seeking advice,” he told reporters in Liverpool reiterating his view that it is his job to work with people of all political hues.

“In respect of any other meetings I have this week or next week in the US and elsewhere, people come to the table with different perspectives.”

Ireland, Britain to work on facilitating closer trade ties despite Brexit

Lisa O’Carroll

The Irish prime minister Micheál Martin has said he will do “anything” to facilitate greater trade ties between the UK and Ireland and the rest of the EU including a reduction of barriers caused by Brexit where possible.

He was speaking after a meeting with the British prime minister Keir Starmer on the way into a summit between the two countries in Liverpool this morning.

It’s an extremely important relationship for Ireland and when the UK economy does well, the Irish economy does well.

So as far as we are concerned this is a joint effort and endeavour and in that context, as I’ve said to the Prime Minister, anything we can do to facilitate greater harmony and access to the EU markets the better in terms of goods and services.

Or, to put it another way, reduce barriers if that’s possible.

Starmer said the “reset” of relations with Ireland and the rest of the EU was the “obvious and right thing to do” but stressed he remains opposed to rejoining the customs union and the single market.

The two met business leaders at a breakfast meeting this morning with Ireland announcing £185m new investments in the UK including a mushroom factory whose business selling into UK supermarkets was disrupted by Brexit.

UK-Irish summit gets under way in Liverpool

Lisa O’Carroll

UK prime minister Keir Starmer and Irish prime minister Micheál Martin are meeting in Liverpool for the first of an annual British Irish summit established by the British premier in a bid to reset relations after the disastrous Brexit years.

The summit, which kicks off at 10am, and will involve delegations of ministers from both sides, and will focus on energy, education, migration and the reduction of Brexit trade barriers where possible.

But the wider crisis caused by Donald Trump in Ukraine and the threat of a trade war with the EU will be a major distraction with Martin heading to Brussels for a second summit, an emergency meeting of EU leaders to discuss Ukraine later today.

Martin meets Donald Trump next Wednesday as part of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, a meeting yet to be afforded European Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen.

Speaking to reporters in Liverpool last night, he said he will be “respectful” at next week’s Oval Office meeting

“People come to the table with different perspectives. I respect people. I respect the offices that people hold,” he said.