EU Leaders Meet to Discuss Sanctions, Tariffs, and Middle East

Most leaders arrived at the event after a brief but intense NATO summit, where they pledged a significant boost in defense spending and addressed some of their differences with US President Donald Trump

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The heads of the European Union’s(EU) 27 member nations gathered in Brussels to discuss tougher sanctions on Russia, ways to prevent painful new United States tariffs, and how to make their voices heard in the Middle East conflicts. Most leaders arrived at the event after a brief but intense NATO summit, where they pledged a significant boost in defense spending and addressed some of their differences with US President Donald Trump.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined the EU summit via videoconference after meeting with Trump on Wednesday. Despite US-led NATO downgrading Ukraine from a top priority to a side player, Russia’s war in Ukraine remains a paramount concern for the EU.

The members will discuss a potential 18th round of sanctions against Russia and whether to maintain a price cap on Russian oil, measures some nations oppose due to potential energy price increases.

Trump’s threatened tariffs are weighing heavily on the EU, which negotiates trade deals on behalf of all 27 member countries. He criticized Spain for not spending more on defense and suggested additional tariffs, prompting France’s president to criticize Trump for starting a trade war with longtime allies. “He lashed out at Spain on Wednesday for not spending more on defence and suggested yet more tariffs,” highlighting the tension between the US and EU over defense spending.

European leaders are also concerned about the fallout from the wars in the Middle East. The EU is pushing to revive diplomatic negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.

However, EU members face internal disagreements over European policy towards Israel due to its conduct in the war on Gaza. Left-leaning parties are also attacking European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen’s shift away from the EU’s climate leadership towards military investment.

Defense and security are expected to dominate the agenda. The summit will conclude with a statement of conclusions setting the agenda for the bloc for the next four months, serving as a bellwether for European political sentiment on key regional and global issues. This meeting underscores the EU’s efforts to navigate complex geopolitical challenges while maintaining unity among its member nations.³

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