The key facts

  • António Costa stated that the security of all European countries is inseparable from the security of Ukraine
  • He emphasized that Europe must have its own voice in security discussions and that Ukraine has the right to choose its partners and future
  • Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin noted the fragmentation of global trade and the pressure of high energy prices on households and businesses

EPC summit held in Ireland

Leaders of the member states of the European Political Community (EPC) gathered in Ireland for another summit of the forum. Speaking at it, European Council President António Costa once again declared that Europe's security is inseparable from Ukraine's security. According to him, the EPC summits have been important for underscoring that the security of all European countries and of the entire continent is inextricably linked to the security of Ukraine. The first EPC summit was held in Prague in October 2022, a few months after the start of the war.

Costa's principles: Kyiv's choice and Europe's voice

Costa stressed that this principle is especially important now, when discussions on ending the war in Ukraine have intensified. He stated that Ukraine, like any sovereign state, must be free to choose its partners, allies and its future, and he also named as another important principle the fact that Europe's security cannot be discussed without a European voice at the table. Speaking about the architecture of European security, Costa noted that the continent once had a functioning system that was gradually undermined and, in his words, ultimately destroyed by Russia's war against Ukraine. He added that these principles remain as relevant and necessary for a just and lasting peace as they were 50 years ago, and that the European Union will continue to defend them.

Martin: trade fragmentation and pressure from energy prices

Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, opening the summit, called on European partners to strengthen cooperation in trade, energy, infrastructure and humanitarian ties. He noted that in recent years the global trading environment has become more fragmented, as some participants have retreated from an open, rules-based system. Martin warned that as winter approaches, supply chains in Europe are experiencing strain and disruptions, while high energy prices are placing ever greater pressure on households and businesses. According to him, the European Political Community unites more than 700 million people who share values, a commitment to democracy and a desire to work together for the benefit of their peoples.

Context of the negotiations

The summit took place against the backdrop of intensified diplomacy around Ukraine: on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Moscow with American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — a day after the conclusion of another round of US mediation talks on Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. Costa linked this agenda to the forum's principles, emphasizing that the discussions on ending the war make the stated positions especially significant.