European Council Adopts Unified Conclusions on Ukraine, Defence and Enlargement

At the European Council summit of 18-19 June in Brussels, EU leaders adopted conclusions on Ukraine, the Middle East, the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF 2028-2034), competitiveness, European defence and security, migration, enlargement, Moldova and the Western Balkans. Notably, conclusions on Ukraine were agreed by all 27 member states for the first time since December 2024 — Hungary's new Magyar government no longer blocking the text after lifting its accession veto earlier in June. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended. Leaders reaffirmed that Europe's defence readiness must be 'decisively ramped up by 2030' given Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, and tasked the incoming Irish Council presidency (from July 1) with advancing the MFF Negotiating Box toward an October summit and end-of-year budget agreement.