Costa and von der Leyen pledged support for Ukraine and announced increased pressure on Russia.

European Union leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine amid ongoing conflict with Russia during a summit in Brussels on October 16, 2026. President of the European Council Antonio Costa emphasized that the EU's support for Kyiv remains stronger than ever and called for increased pressure on Moscow. He stated this at the start of the second day of the summit alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Costa stressed that there was no time for reducing support or easing sanctions against Russia. "Now is the time to strengthen our support and increase pressure, which is crucial to compel Russia to accept a real ceasefire and bring it to negotiations," he said. "You can always count on us," he told Zelensky. Von der Leyen assured Zelensky that the EU would remain on Ukraine’s side. She noted that Russia was making every effort to destroy Ukraine’s energy and water infrastructure but added that the EU would continue to support Kyiv just as it had done in previous winters. Von der Leyen announced that the EU was preparing its 22nd package of sanctions against Russia. "One thing is completely clear: we will not lift any sanctions until Russia ends the war," she said. Both Costa and von der Leyen praised Ukraine’s progress toward EU membership after the country opened two more negotiation rounds for accession this week. Von der Leyen said the goal was to open the last two negotiation chapters by year-end to begin implementing reforms necessary for Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Zelensky expressed confidence that this would happen. He acknowledged the EU’s support in the war against Russia and warned that Kyiv needed to prepare for winter, as Russia showed no signs of being ready to end the conflict. Further political, financial, and military assistance to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression remained one of the key topics discussed during the second day of the summit. Zelensky has several bilateral meetings scheduled on the sidelines of the summit. On Thursday, he met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Today, his schedule includes a meeting with Hungary’s new prime minister, Peter Magyar. The leaders also addressed developments in the Middle East, including escalating tensions in Yemen, Iran, and Palestinian territories. Discussions on strengthening defense capabilities due to hybrid threats posed to European countries were also on the agenda. Zelensky’s attendance at the summit comes after US President Donald Trump eased sanctions on Russia to allow the export of Russian diesel fuel to global markets, aiming to alleviate the effects of the energy crisis. Trump also declared an "energy ceasefire" between Moscow and Kyiv, though Russian forces have not respected it since the beginning of the conflict. Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian refineries following this declaration. The summit will conclude with a strategic discussion on migration, following the large influx of irregular migrants from Morocco into Spain’s enclave of Ceuta over the summer.