Taoiseach to host informal meeting of EU leaders

Updated / Friday, 13 Nov 2026 06:14

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Taoiseach Micheál Martin will host an informal meeting of EU leaders in Dublin this morning following yesterday's European Political Community summit.

Leaders will assess the latest update by US envoys to Russia following their meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel last night.

Following the meeting with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who had met Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in Moscow, President Zelensky said European negotiators will take part in talks directly with Ukraine-Russia delegations in US-led talks in Abu Dhabi next week.

While talks took place in the UAE this week, European officials did not participate directly.

After being briefed by the US envoys, Mr Zelensky said Europeans will take part in the next talks rather than remain "separately" on the sidelines.

"We cannot conclude this deal without Europeans being at the table," Mr Kushner said alongside the Ukrainian leader in Casement Aerodrome.

Speaking to reporters, President Zelensky said the exchange of prisoners of war will be the biggest so far.

"Our soldiers will come home and I am very thankful to all our negotiators. This is a real result, this is very important."

He said the American side made progress on talks with Mr Putin on Europeans taking part in future talks.

"The American side, the American group made progress on Europeans. This is important that Europeans, next time, next week, Europe will be there during negotiations.

"There will be a negotiation team in, not following, not separately, they will have a voice, this is important for us because the war is in Europe, we will be a member of the EU in the future, that's why it's very important."

Following yesterday's grand gathering of continental European leaders, the focus today narrows to the EU’s own business.

Leaders will discuss how to meet Ukraine's funding needs for next year, estimated to be some €70 billion.

They will also get to grips with the sensitive topic of who will represent Europe if substantive peace negotiations with Russia finally get underway.

Europe’s security is preserved by overlapping roles played by NATO, the European Union, the Coalition of the Willing and other formats.

Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni has complained that this has hampered the EU’s ability to speak with one coherent voice, and asked that the issue be put on today’s agenda.

EU leaders will have their first substantive discussion on AI at a time of dramatic upheaval in the sector.

They will be briefed by the CEO of the French AI firm Mistral and by Professor Geoffrey Hinton, the computer scientist regarded as the father of AI.

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