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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Lili Bayer in Brussels

EU leaders call for ‘immediate humanitarian pause’ in Gaza – as it happened

European Union Europe Ukraine United Nations Bosnia and Herzegovina the Middle East
The European Council president, Charles Michel
The European Council president, Charles Michel, said the leaders agreed on a unified statement. Photograph: Arnaud Andrieu/SIPA/Rex/Shutterstock

Summary of the day

  • Heads of state and government from the EU’s 27 members met in Brussels for the first day of their summit.

  • Addressing the situation in the Middle East, the leaders called “for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance.”

  • The leaders condemned Hamas and said they are “deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and its disproportionate effect on civilians, particularly children, as well as the imminent risk of famine caused by the insufficient entry of aid into Gaza.”

  • The leaders also discussed the issue of using windfall profits of frozen Russian assets. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, “there is a strong support to use” the profits “for military purposes for Ukraine.”

  • The EU leaders agreed that “further to the submission of the draft negotiating frameworks for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the European Council invites the Council to swiftly adopt them and to take work forward without delay.”

  • They also decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

  • Von der Leyen said there is a proposal “to increase tariffs on Russian and Belarusian imports of cereals, oil seeds and derived products.”

  • The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, addressed EU leaders via videoconference, calling for more help with air defences and ammunition, as well as progress on Ukraine’s path toward European integration.

  • The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, broke ranks with his European counterparts and congratulated Vladimir Putin on his “re-election”.

Updated

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said that she is glad leaders opened the way to using some of the revenue from frozen Russian assets to provide funding for military equipment for Ukraine.

“We can expect to collect around €3bn for 2024, and similar amounts in the future years,” von der Leyen said.

She later noted in response to a question that “there is a strong support to use” the profits “for military purposes for Ukraine.”

“I told the leaders that if we are swift now in concluding the proposal, we could disperse the first billion to Ukraine on 1 July,” she said.

The Commission chief also said that there is a proposal “to increase tariffs on Russian and Belarusian imports of cereals, oil seeds and derived products.”

Addressing the issue of European defence, von der Leyen said member states have already boosted spending “but we have to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base.”

“We do not only need to spend more – we need to spend better, and we need to spend European,” she stressed.

On the Middle East, she said “we are on the verge of famine, a catastrophic humanitarian situation. Full rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access into Gaza via all routes is essential. 500 trucks or equivalent a day need to enter Gaza on land or by air and sea.”

She added:

“I think the unity was very strongly felt: acknowledgement that Israel has the right to do everything possible that 7 October will never happen again within the boundaries of international law and international humanitarian law but it has also the duty to do everything possible to protect civilian life. If you look at the conclusions, they are explicit on that one.”

Updated

'There is a humanitarian tragedy,' Michel says

Speaking of the Middle East, Charles Michel said that “it was extremely important to send a very powerful and united message on this important question and challenge.”

He reiterated that “we condemn in the strongest possible terms” the October 7 attack on Israel.

“We are also absolutely determined to support all possible efforts to allow the humanitarian access,” Michel said.

He added:

There is a humanitarian tragedy.

We believe in the international law, we believe in the international humanitarian law, and that’s why that everything must be done to convince, to make sure that there is a real possibility for more humanitarian access,” the European Council chief said.

Michel said we take note of decisions made regarding the financing of UNRWA and that leaders agree on the “essential” role of the organisation.

He also said that “we call on the government of Israel not to launch a ground operation in Rafah.”

Updated

Speaking to reporters, the European Council president, Charles Michel, said leaders made very important decisions, pointing to a text agreed on the issue of using windfall profits from frozen Russian assets.

It shows that we are determined to bring more support to Ukraine, he said.

Speaking of European defence, Michel said we have a paradigm shift.

Leaders looked at various options for funding, and there is very broad support for the idea of working with the European Investment Bank to mobilise more resources, he said. We want to invest more and better, and reduce fragmentation, Michel stressed.

Updated

And here is the text on security and defence, agreed following talks among EU leaders:

Charles Michel, the European Council president, has said that the EU “must increase our defence readiness and put economies on a war footing to match the urgency of the threat.”

“We have 3 goals: Support Ukraine right now; Spend better and faster together; Easier access to public & private financing for the defence sector,” he added.

Here’s the text agreed by leaders on Ukraine:

A press conference is expected soon. Stay tuned.

Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, has congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina, writing: “the European peace project is growing - a clear sign in favour of a strong Europe.”

And here is the text agreed on enlargement.

The EU leaders agreed that “further to the submission of the draft negotiating frameworks for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the European Council invites the Council to swiftly adopt them and to take work forward without delay.”

Updated

EU leaders call for 'immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire' in Gaza

The European Council president, Charles Michel, said European leaders have agreed on a unified statement on the Middle East.

“The EU calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire. Full & safe humanitarian access into Gaza is essential to provide the civilian population with life-saving assistance in a catastrophic situation in Gaza,” he said.

In the text agreed by the EU’s 27 heads of state and government, the leaders declare:

The European Council calls for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and the provision of humanitarian assistance.

The statement also condemns Hamas “in the strongest possible terms for its brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks across Israel on 7 October 2023, recognising Israel’s right to defend itself in line with international law and international humanitarian law, and calling for the immediate release of all hostages without any precondition.”

It adds:

The European Council is deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and its disproportionate effect on civilians, particularly children, as well as the imminent risk of famine caused by the insufficient entry of aid into Gaza.

Full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access into and throughout the Gaza Strip via all routes is essential to provide the civilian population with life-saving assistance and basic services at scale.

The conclusions also note that “immediate measures should be taken to prevent any further population displacement and provide safe shelter to the population to ensure that civilians are protected at all times.”

Here’s the full text on the Middle East:

Updated

Roberta Metsola, the president of the European parliament, has congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Leaders decide to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina

Charles Michel, the European Council president, has announced that “the European Council has just decided to open accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

“Today’s decision is a key step forward on your EU path. Now the hard work needs to continue so Bosnia and Herzegovina steadily advances, as your people want,” he added.

Updated

The changes in the draft conclusions on Ukraine and security and defence are minor, according to sources.

Wording on use of windfall profits from frozen Russian assets has been changed.

Earlier text said: “The European Council reviewed progress on the next concrete steps towards directing extraordinary revenues stemming from Russia’s immobilised assets for the benefit of Ukraine, including possibly for funding military support”.

Now, the last clause of the paragraph reads: “including the possibility of funding military support”.

Even as EU leaders are holding talks in Brussels, some are in campaign mode.

Updated

EU leaders have agreed the text on the conclusions on Ukraine, as well as security and defence, with three changes to the draft wording, according to sources.

The declaration includes the proposal to use the windfall profits from Russian frozen assets on Ukraine.

Discussion has now moved to the Middle East over dinner.

Updated

Best estimate for decision on the Middle East, to be discussed over dinner, 11am? No chance, says one diplomat. “1.30am and I’m being optimistic”.

There is hope that there could be agreement on the wording around a call for an “immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire” with one source saying Austria and Czechia may “revisit their position” following the US decision to draft a new UN security council resolution calling for an “immediate ceasefire” and hostage deal in Gaza.

EU leaders are also expected to make a decision on the principle of using the windfall profits from Russian frozen assets for Ukraine later tonight sources say.

'Resist the temptation' to blame Brussels, parliament president tells leaders

Roberta Metsola, the European parliament president, issued a warning ahead of the June European elections.

In a speech to EU leaders, she said “this election will be a test of our systems.”

She added:

My appeal here is to resist the temptation in a difficult campaign to blame Brussels for all that is wrong and give no credit where it is due.

We need to be open and honest about our successes - but also where we could have done better. Where we did not match the expectations of our people. Where people still feel left behind. Where our bureaucracy has pushed people away.

Our industry must be part of the equation. Our farmers have to be a part of the equation. Our young people must be part of the equation. People must have confidence in the process, they must have access to tools that allow them to make the shift and they must be able to afford it. Otherwise, it will not succeed. And if misunderstood, it risks driving more people into political disenfranchisement and allow them to retreat to the comfort of the extremes.

That would simply give fuel to those actors who still see Europe as a threat. Who would like nothing better than for us to become weaker.

Orbán congratulates Putin on 're-election'

The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, broke ranks with his European counterparts and congratulated Vladimir Putin on his “re-election”.

“After the official election results, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán congratulated Vladimir Putin on his re-election, noting that the cooperation between Hungary and Russia, based on mutual respect, enables important discussions even in challenging geopolitical contexts,” a Hungarian spokesperson wrote on social media.

“Orbán affirmed Hungary’s commitment to peace and readiness to intensify cooperation in sectors not restricted by international law, underlining the importance of dialogue in fostering peaceful relations,” he added.

Russia’s election was widely condemned in the west as undemocratic.

The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, had issued a statement on behalf of the bloc stressing that the election “took place in a highly restricted environment” and that the EU “reiterates that it does not and will never recognise either the holding of these so-called ‘elections’ in the territories of Ukraine or their results.”

Updated

'Europe can provide more', Zelenskiy tells EU leaders

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has addressed EU leaders via videoconference, calling for more help with air defences and ammunition, as well as progress on Ukraine’s path toward European integration.

“This is Russia’s war not only against Ukraine, but against all of us, against your countries as well, against our entire Europe and the European way of life,” he told the leaders.

He added:

All the air defense provided to Ukraine, in particular by European countries, keeps our cities and villages alive. But the existing air defense systems are not enough to protect our entire territory from Russian terror. And it’s not a matter of hundreds of systems, but of an achievable number – to protect all the territory of Ukraine. You all know what steps need to be taken.

​He also addressed the issue of ammunition.

I am grateful for the creation of the Ukraine Assistance Fund amounting to 5 billion euros and for the support of Czechia’s initiative to purchase shells for our soldiers. This will help. Thank you. Unfortunately, the use of artillery at the frontline by our soldiers is humiliating for Europe in the sense that Europe can provide more. And it is crucial to prove it now.

On the issue of defence production, he said:

​I hope we can all agree that our Europe needs real defence self-sufficiency. This can only be achieved by increasing the production of weapons and ammunition on the continent. Ukraine demonstrates that it can be done quite quickly. Please do not waste the time needed to activate defense production.

And he was blunt on trade policy.

We in Ukraine cannot accept the fact that the background for Russian terror is the pressure on our country in trade issues. I am grateful to all those in Europe who also see this pressure as unacceptable. Now, the issue of trade – in particular the continuation of the trade liberalization regime with the EU, is not just about certain goods but about the ability to withstand Russian aggression.

The Ukrainian leader also criticised the import of Russian agricultural goods.

At the same time we see that, unfortunately, Russian access to the European agricultural market is still unrestricted. And when Ukrainian grain is thrown on the roads or railway tracks, Russian products are still being transported to Europe, as well as goods from Putin’s controlled Belarus. This is not fair.

He called for progress on Ukraine’s EU talks.

​Ukraine is fulfilling its part of the commitments to internal transformation, and we know that the EU has a negotiating framework ready for your consideration. Its approval could greatly support our people and send the right signal to the whole of Europe after the European Parliament elections in June.​

On Russian frozen assets, he said:

We need progress on the fair use of Russia’s frozen assets. The aggressor should pay the highest price for the war – this is in line with both the letter and the spirit of the law.

Updated

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek prime minister, said today that his recent “visit to Odessa impressed upon me even more the urgency of stepping up our assistance. I am glad to see Ukraine making steady progress towards EU membership.”

EU leaders have been divided on the Middle East since October but sources say that Hungary, a staunch supporter of Israel, may agree to wording on a ceasefire, likely to be conditional.

One source said in the Orbán camp, said: “I think there is a growing potential of finding an agreement on a European level about the ceasefire.”

There are also signs that Hungary is not opposed to the principle of using interest generated from frozen Russian assets, as long as some of it is ringfenced for peace purposes and not military support for Ukraine.

A formal proposal presented by the European Commission yesterday on the €190bn Russian assets held in the EU suggests that the money made available would go to the European Peace Facility, a non-EU central budget that currently partially reimburses member states for contributions to Ukraine but also funds military peace corps around the world.

A Hungarian source said: “We are against it if it goes for military purposes.” But they added that if there was an opt out allowing part of the funds generated from the frozen assets to go on non-Ukrainian missions funded by the EPF such as peace keeping forces in Africa.

No decision on the frozen Russia assets will be taken today with diplomatic sources saying it could take months for the deal to get through “complex” legal hurdles.

Updated

Orbán hits out at Ukrainian grain

The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, has said that “the most important topic on the table is the issue of Ukrainian grain.”

“Ukrainian dumping is slowly destroying European and Hungarian farmers. The Hungarian position is clear: we must protect our farmers!” he said.

Updated

'Europe needs to lead, and not to follow', Belgian leader says

The Belgian prime minister, Alexander De Croo, has said the situation in Gaza is “dramatic.”

“Europe needs to lead, and not to follow – and it is time for us to be clear, to demand an immediate cease-fire, to demand the liberation of the hostages, and to put everyone on track on negotiations on a two-state solution.”

He also said that Europe must “continue and certainly accelerate our support” to Ukraine.

Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has said the draft text of the EU summit potential final conclusions on the Middle East is going in the “right direction”.

He pointed out that it was “the first time there are conclusions on the Middle East since October” when the EU member states argued about whether the text should include a call for a ceasefire, a pause or pauses in the conflict.

“The draft goes in the right direction for Spain” he said, because it “includes a call for a ceasefire and opens the door to humanitarian aid and a peace conference” which Spain has been pushing for.

Updated

'The situation in Gaza is catastrophic,' Swedish leader says

Ulf Kristersson, the Swedish prime minister, has said “the situation in Gaza is catastrophic” and “an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all Israeli hostages are needed.”

The EU’s high representative for foreign affairs Josep Borrell said he was “happy” that EU member states were being asked to adopt a declaration on Israel that went radically beyond the conclusions in October when they agreed to call for humanitarian pauses in the conflict in the Middle East.

The eight paragraph draft text says leaders are “appalled by the unprecedented loss of civilian lives”, condemns Hamas in the “strongest possible terms for its brutal and indiscriminate terrorist attacks” and supports Israel’s right to defend itself.

But paragraph 22 includes significantly hardened language.

The European Council is deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and its disproportionate effect on civilians, particularly children, as well as the imminent risk of famine. Full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access into and throughout the Gaza Strip via all routes is essential to provide the civilian population with life-saving assistance and basic services at scale. The European Council welcomes the Amalthea Initiative opening a maritime route for emergency assistance from Cyprus to Gaza, which supplements land routes that remain the main way to deliver the volumes needed. Additional land routes and crossings are needed.

“I am happy that the Council today is going to approve conclusions that go much further than the first conclusions in October when we called for humanitarian pauses,” said Borrell.

Several diplomats have said the text is fragile and may not survive the summit in its present form.

One said: “If you pull one thread, then someone pulls another your sweatshirt may dematerialise”.

Borrell said:

Today the council goes much further supporting UNWRA, asking for a sustainable ceasefire, and certainly also asking for the the freedom of hostages and needlessly to say condemning the Hamas attack, but showing strong concern for the situation of the people in Gaza which is unacceptable.

Updated

'We must make sure that the conflict doesn’t spread,' Rutte says as leaders prepare for Middle East discussion

Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, has said leaders “will be talking about the desperate situation in Gaza, which is growing worse by the day.”

He added:

That’s why we’re urgently calling for an immediate pause in the fighting – to quickly get more aid into Gaza and make sure it safely reaches the people who need it, and to get the hostages released.

We’re also urging Israel to refrain from launching a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah. A lot of people have gathered there and they have nowhere else to go.

Above all, we must make sure that the conflict doesn’t spread to the wider region.

Gaza situation 'a failure of humanity', Borrell says

The lack of food and medicines in Gaza is “a failure of humanity” Josep Borrell has said on arrival to the EU leaders summit.

“What is happening today in Gaza is the failure of humanity, it is not a humanitarian crisis, it is the failure of humanity, it is not an earthquake, it is not a flood, it is bombing.

“The only way you can stop the humanitarian crisis, human crisis is Israel respecting more civilians and allowing more support into Gaza.

“Even now we manage to send food to Gaza people are show starving and especially children… they need medicines to be able just to eat because they are starving. I hope the council will send a strong message to Israel to stop blocking the food going into Gaza”.

Updated

Leaders are now at a working lunch with the UN secretary-general, António Guterres.

The EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell has taken a side swipe against anyone who suggests that Europe is on the verge of war.

“The calls for European leaders to be aware of the challenges they are facing are good but we don’t have to exaggerate either.

“War is not imminent. I’ve heard certain voices say war is imminent. Well, thank God it is not imminent. We live in peace, we support Ukraine, we are not part of this war we just support Ukraine and we have to prepare for the future, augmenting the defence capacity of our industry, but don’t frighten people unneccessarily, war is not imminent. What is imminent is the need to support for Ukraine,” he said.

His remarks come after the president of the European Council Charles Michel told leaders in a letter that “it is high time we take radical and concrete steps to be defence-ready and put the EU’s economy on a war footing.”

Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, said today that a court had rejected a lawsuit against the prison where he died because it would have meant disclosing videos and documents about what happened.

'We must stick to principles, in Ukraine as in Gaza, without double standards', UN chief says

The United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, has arrived for talks with the EU’s leaders.

Addressing reporters ahead of the discussions, he said:

We live in a chaotic world, with the superpowers at odds with each other.

We have a situation of impunity, where any country or any armed group thinks it can do whatever it wants, because there is no accountability.

And when we live in a chaotic world, it’s very important to stick to principles: and the principles are clear: the United Nations Charter, international law, territorial integrity of countries, international humanitarian law.

And that is the reason why we believe it’s essential to have peace for Ukraine, but peace fully in line with the principles, which means peace respecting the charter, international law, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

That is the reason why we believe, for the same reasons, that we need a cease-fire in Gaza.

As we condemn the terror attacks of the 7th of October and as we condemn other violations of international humanitarian law by Hamas, we also condemn the fact that we are witnessing a number of civilian casualties in Gaza that is unprecedented in my time as secretary-general.

And a basic principle of international humanitarian law is the protection of civilians.

We must stick to principles, in Ukraine as in Gaza, without double standards.

Updated

Robert Abela, Malta’s prime minister, said in a social media post that his country “stands for peace – a value it will advocate for, particularly amidst discussions concerning Ukraine, Middle East and security and defence.”

He added that “in discussions on the agricultural sector, will emphasise the EU’s role in bolstering support for farmers.”

Updated

Meanwhile, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has met with Luís Montenegro, who has been nominated as Portugal’s next prime minister.

Both are members of the centre-right European People’s party.

Ireland’s Leo Varadkar, who announced yesterday that he is leaving his job, has said he was considering his position since Christmas and had not decided yet what he was going to do in the long term.

At the arrival at the EU summit in Brussels he said the decision to step down “had not sunk in yet” but felt it was time for someone who might have “new ideas” to take over as the party moves into “an election cycle”.

He said that of the leaders around the table when he arrived in Brussels in 2017, only six are left and three of those “are going” a reference to the Portuguese and Dutch prime ministers.

On Israel he was forthright. He said there should have been a ceasefire a long time ago, that he thought Israel was in “flagrant breach” of human rights obligations.

He said no leader was “here for drama” over Israel but that some countries were wrong in their position.

He also said he felt that Israel had world support on 7 October but it had now “squandered” international support.

Varadkar said he was not going to endorse any candidate for the Fine Gael party but whoever it was would have his support.

“The new leader is going to have a lot of support and I’ll be happy there.

“I’d be happy to either help out in any way possible or get out of the way, whatever.”

Varadkar is pushing for support for a strongly worded statement on Israel on aid, the hostages and “immediate clarity on what is needed for a two-state solution”.

He called out Austria and Czechia.

“The language is not yet closed but are not far off that.

“Austria and the Czech Republic are the two that are currently holding out on that. I think they’re wrong. But we have to convince them. And you don’t convince people by berating them.”

Meanwhile, Paschal Donohoe, the public expenditure minister in Ireland, has announced he will not be in the running to take over from Varadkar as leader of the Fine Gael party.

Updated

Lithuania’s president, Gitanas Nausėda, said that “it’s important to look for new possibilities to support Ukraine militarily.”

He also addressed Kyiv’s EU accession process.

It’s also important today to “see that European institutions are ready to start negotiations and to do it in June of this year – we should do it as soon as possible, and this is a matter of our credibility. Ukraine delivered, Ukraine implemented the necessary reforms under extraordinary difficult situation and conditions. We – this is our turn, right now.”

Boosting the defence industry is one of the top priorities for Lithuania, he stressed, arguing that the European Investment Bank should be empowered to finance defence investment projects – but that this would not be enough.

“We are kindly asking European Commission to make the proposals how we can accumulate financial resources,” he said, pointing to the EU’s experience raising funds during the pandemic.

Sanctions policy should continue, he said, adding that Europe must work on combating circumvention of sanctions.

Updated

Profits on Russian assets should be used to buy weapons for Ukraine, German chancellor says

Arriving at the summit, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said that profits on frozen Russian assets should be used to buy weapons for Ukraine, Reuters reported.

“These should first of all be used to buy those weapons and ammunition that Ukraine needs to defend itself,” Scholz said, added he was optimistic about the chances of the leaders agreeing on the issue.

Updated

Estonian PM calls for countries to spend more on helping Ukraine

Arriving at the summit, the Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas, reiterated her call for countries to spend more on helping Ukraine.

She added:

“I think it’s very important that we move on with opening the accession talks. We already had the decision in December, so we should also move on with this.”

Using the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, she said, is a “first step,” while acknowledging she would like to see more.

On the issue of defence, she said she sees a problem with funding for the defence industry, calling for action to get more funding for the industry now.

Updated

Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, said when arriving at the summit that the Netherlands will “support the Commission proposal to open negotiations” with Bosnia and Herzegovina but will “also support the Commission that before the negotiating framework can be agreed upon, it’s crucial that Bosnia will fulfil all the necessary actions in the Commission report, so that we … really tick all the boxes.”

Updated

Key event

Ahead of today’s summit, Ukrainian officials have reiterated their call for more assistance.

Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, pointed to a “major missile attack overnight in Kyiv,” writing: “Thankfully, our air defense intercepted around 30 missiles, saving lives. Swift action needed to provide Ukraine with crucial defense systems and support.”

Varadkar says he is not looking for EU job

The Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, has just revealed he is not looking for a new job in the EU.

Asked by the Guardian if he was looking for a new job in Brussels he expressed surprise and laughed. “No, definitely not”.

He was speaking to reporters on arriving at the European People Party’s pre-summit gathering at the Sofitel Hotel in Brussels.

Varadkar announced he was stepping down as leader of Fine Gael and as taoiseach yesterday, taking his party and the country by surprise.

Speculation immediately turned to the prospect of a new job for him in the senior ranks at the EU.

Updated

What's on the agenda for today's summit?

The EU summit centres on a packed agenda including Ukraine, the Middle East, approval of Bosnia and Herzegovina as an EU accession candidate and agriculture.

It will start with a working lunch with the UN secretary general Antonío Guterres who yesterday urged Israel to give “immediate and unfettered” access to Gaza to avert a looming famine.

On Ukraine leaders will discuss how to boost military support with fresh proposals to use the interest generated by €190bn held in frozen Russian assets.

A formal proposal presented by the European Commission yesterday will be discussed but no decision will be taken today. One diplomat said it was a “deeply complex proposal” which has all sorts of implications including potential legal action by the Kremlin which yesterday branded the move a breach of international law.

It also requires unanimity and Hungary is unlikely to support the use of the money on arms.

Also on the agenda is the question of long term defence funding with suggestions that the EU needs at least €100bn to be able to build capacity to fend off a potential attack by Russia.

Defence bonds, on which the leaders’ room is divided, is one option, as is raising money on the capital markets or, the least popular option is raising money from taxes.

Welcome to the blog

Good morning and welcome to a special edition of the Europe blog, coming to you from the European Council in Brussels.

Leaders will soon be arriving for the launch of the two-day summit. The summit comes at a key moment for the bloc, as the EU prepares for elections in June and as concerns are growing about the future of aid for Ukraine.

Stay tuned and send tips to lili.bayer@theguardian.com.

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