EU Summit Focuses on Ukraine Support, Budget, and China Relations

The two-day summit is to focus on three topics: supporting Ukraine, the EU’s next long-term budget, and global economic challenges

A reception for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to kick off the meeting

The leaders also plan to discuss the challenging commercial relationship between the EU and China

Here is a roundup of the major news and analysis from the June 18 and 19 European Union summit.

European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the EU summit.

"It's been a historic week for Ukraine. On Monday, we opened formally the negotiations of the first cluster. It's a very important step towards enlargement of the European Union and full accession of Ukraine to the European Union," Costa said.

Von der Leyen also congratulated Ukraine on opening the first cluster of negotiations. "You deserve it because you were working so hard to move forward to do the necessary reforms. We hope that during the summit we can open more clusters," she added.

"I have the impression that the tide is turning. We see that Ukraine is holding the line, even partially regaining the territory, and that Ukraine has a very strong moment," von der Leyen said.

At their summit in Brussels, European Union leaders are expected to discuss new, tougher measures needed to curb the bloc's growing trade deficit with China and its reliance on rare earths and other critical supplies from the country.

According to Reuters, EU diplomats say there is a gradual convergence of views among the 27 EU members that the goods trade deficit with China is problematic.

The deficit now amounts to approximately €1 billion ($1.15 billion) per day.

In 2025, China's goods trade surplus with the EU reached €360.6 billion, marking a 15% increase from 2024.

Additionally, it expanded by 10% in the first four months of this year, driven by increased sales to the EU and reduced imports by Chinese firms.

Recycling rare earths in Germany to reduce China dependence

Welcome to DW's coverage of the two-day summit of European Union leaders in Brussels, which is expected to focus on support for Ukraine, the EU’s next long-term budget, and global economic challenges.

The summit is expected to begin with a reception for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It will mark his first visit to Brussels since Viktor Orban, the former Hungarian prime minister and Zelenskyy's most prominent opponent within the EU, was voted out of office earlier this year.

On Thursday, EU leaders are expected to discuss some of the bloc's most pressing challenges, including its declining competitiveness, as well as broader global issues such as its strained commercial relationship with China.

The following day, they are planning to focus on the EU's next long-term budget, which is expected to be between €1 trillion ($1.15 trillion) and €2 trillion and will cover the period from 2028 to 2034.