European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference on the day of the European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium, June 27, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS)

During their summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday and Friday, EU leaders reaffirmed the importance of providing Ukraine with additional air defense systems and counter-drone technology. They also reiterated the EU's strong and continued support for Ukraine on its path toward EU membership.

On trade and tariff issues, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that she and US President Donald Trump had agreed, during the G7 Summit, to accelerate negotiations ahead of the deadline.

Regarding the situation in the Middle East, the EU expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called on Israel to fully lift its blockade measures to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid into the region.

The EU emphasized that Israel must comply with its obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which covers cooperation in various areas—from political dialogue and the free movement of goods to scientific collaboration.