President of the European Council Charles Michel acknowledged Ukraine’s urgent need for more weapons and ammunition and confirmed that EU leaders will work on a proposal by High Representative Borrell to offer Kyiv assistance. He said that the EU supports President Zelenskyy’s peace formula, but admitted that the Kremlin has given no indication it is interested in de-escalation.

President Michel cited the many short-term measures taken by the EU to cope with the crises of recent years, but stressed that these should not undermine the Union’s long-term economic strategy for a green and digital transition. In his view, the EU should focus on making investment available to companies, encouraging innovation and supporting fair trade. Referring to relations with global actors, he said “there is no equidistance between the US and China”. However, “China is a reality, a key actor” with whom the EU must engage at global level, he insisted.

On migration policy, Michel called for “rationality”. The EU should “do more and better” in cooperation with third countries to fight human trafficking and there should be legal and safe migration channels to Europe, because “we cannot let criminals decide who comes to the EU,” he said.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reported back from her meeting with US President Joe Biden, saying there is “a striking symmetry between the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the European Green Deal,” since both aim to…