European leaders gathered in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the economy, competitiveness, support for Ukraine, and the situation in the Middle East, while expressing differing views on the EU's long-term budget for 2028-2034.
Several leaders voiced opposing positions on the bloc's proposed multiannual financial framework as they arrived for a European Council meeting, with disagreements centering on the budget's size, spending priorities, and contributions from member states.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten called on European countries to increase their financial and military support for Ukraine, saying some member states were lagging behind.
"A lot of European countries are lagging behind in the support for Ukraine. So let's step up our game and make sure that they can win this senseless war," Jetten said.
On the EU's long-term budget, Jetten said the proposal put forward by the Irish presidency was "not good enough," arguing that it should be reduced in size and modernized to prioritize competitiveness, security, and future welfare.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also rejected the proposed budget, saying it would increase Sweden's net contribution by around 60%.
"A 60% increase of the Swedish contribution is simply not acceptable. It's a no-go zone," he said, adding that Sweden would not accept a further increase in its contributions.
Kristersson said the negotiations would be tense and questioned whether an agreement could be reached before the end of the year, stressing the need for a budget that balances modernization, support for Ukraine, and traditional spending priorities.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, meanwhile, welcomed the Irish presidency's proposal, describing it as well-balanced, but expressed concern over cuts to the Connecting Europe Facility, particularly military mobility, and the competitiveness fund.
He stressed that an ambitious budget with sufficient funding was necessary to implement the bloc's priorities, adding that reaching a consensus by the end of the year would be difficult.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said security, connectivity and competitiveness were among his country's main priorities, particularly given its location on the EU's eastern border.
He also called for reducing bureaucracy to help the bloc compete with China and the US, while saying he did not expect major compromises during the summit.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin defended the proposal, saying the presidency had sought to facilitate negotiations by balancing the positions of member states.
He said the proposal preserved cohesion funding and maintained key elements of the competitiveness fund, while acknowledging that issues remained to be resolved before the end of the year.
"My view all along has been a larger budget is required for Europe to attain its objectives," Martin added.
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs stressed the importance of agreeing on the next seven-year budget, noting that "strong economy can only bring a strong defense."
He said eastern European countries needed additional economic support to keep the bloc's eastern borders safe.
He also called for further measures to help Ukraine export its agricultural products and implement sanctions against Russia.
Kulbergs described the coming winter as critical for Ukraine, saying the country's ability to remain resilient was closely linked to Europe's own security.
"We should think a little bit less about the comfort, a little bit less about ourselves and think further what is best for Europe in general," he added.
"It is one beer less for a European a year. We can afford that, but Ukraine needs it now. That one beer is just the cost. There it's the cost of life," Kulbergs further said.
