Press release
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to attend a meeting of the European Council in Brussels
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Taoiseach
Published on
Last updated on
The Taoiseach will travel to Brussels to attend a meeting of the European Council tomorrow and Friday at which Ukraine, security and defence, the economy, migration, and external relations, including relations with China, are on the agenda. EU Leaders will also meet with the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Speaking ahead of the European Council, the Taoiseach said:
"When I join other EU Leaders in Brussels tomorrow we will reaffirm our solidarity and continued political, economic, military, financial and humanitarian support for Ukraine. The security situation in the EU has changed radically since 2022, and this will be an important moment to take stock and restate our solidarity with Ukraine as Russia continues to attack civilians across Ukraine and to wage its brutal war.
“We will also discuss economic security. We need to ensure Europe’s competitiveness into the future by strengthening the single market and making the EU a world leader when it comes to new technologies and the green transition.
“The European Council will also discuss the issue of migration. We will be working closely with countries of origin and transit to better manage entries, increase returns of failed applicants for international protection, and disrupt traffickers. In the round, migration is beneficial for Ireland, but it must be rules-based and properly managed.”