Ukraine: European delegate sought for peace talks to prevent a “failure” at the EU leaders’ summit

Brussels – Trade defence instruments aimed at countering China, immediate measures to tackle high energy prices, and the most pressing legislative initiatives to be brought to the table as a matter of urgency: the summit of EU heads of state and government scheduled for tomorrow and Friday (15 and 16 September) in Brussels is entirely devoted to the political mandate that leaders will confer on the European Commission to resolve issues relating to the EU’s competitiveness. As for the other issues – foremost among them the new multiannual financial framework (MFF 2028–2034) – everything seems set to be resolved with statements of principle and a postponement to future summits. 

The budget issue has effectively been postponed to a later date, due to the objective impossibility of reaching any agreement other than a consensus to continue the work. This failure to reach an agreement is not good news for Europe. Firstly, because it deflates the expectations for the forthcoming leaders’ summit, with the resulting negative repercussions for the credibility of the Twenty-Seven; and secondly, as insiders point out, postponing a settlement does not play into the hands of those who would like more resources. The underlying issue is that when there is so much time to negotiate, there is ultimately a risk that positions will become polarised, which plays into the hands of whoever wants to make cuts. 

The rest of the agenda is set to feature discussions that promise to be heated and exploratory. The debate on immigration is regarded as strategic, and serves to take stock of a situation that is seen to be improving. “The number of irregular entries, which has fallen significantly over the last five years, must be taken into account,” a factor which, EU sources explain, will lead leaders to state that “efforts and new rules are working,” and that we must continue along these lines.

https://www.eunews.it/en/2026/09/16/israel-migrants-the-budget-and-water-infrastructure-von-der-leyen-urges-member-states-to-step-up/ However… The “however” in the debate on immigration is represented by the crisis in Ceuta this summer. “It was a crisis, and it required European solidarity, and I expect this message to come across,” the same sources say. There is a risk of a a new dispute entirely within the EU, like the one we saw a few months ago – albeit over a crisis that “did not affect the rest of the European Union” – thereby rendering the suspension of the Schengen area pointless.

The debate amongst the 27 Member States on enlargement is seen as inevitable, given the pace at which the candidate countries – and Montenegro in particular – are making progress. A scenario in which the EU no longer comprises 27 Member States is becoming increasingly likely, and questions are being asked about how to manage it. Yet even here, no major practical conclusions are in sight.

Ukraine therefore becomes the only real arena where the leaders’ summit can produce anything of substance, given that Kyiv does not trust the United States or its president, Donald Trump. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is due to arrive on Friday, wants a European representative for the peace negotiations. This is a safeguard against the risk of US “betrayal”, and Kyiv is pressing for the EU to put forward a name. The leaders will first define the person’s profile, and the name will follow. This, together with the message of continued support, is the only truly significant outcome of a summit that will be more about the spectacle than anything else.