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European Commission - Announcement EU leaders reaffirm solidarity with Middle East partners and double down on support to Ukraine Brussels, 1 May 2026 President Ursula von der Leyen was in Cyprus last week to attend the informal meeting of European Heads of State and Government and meet with Middle Eastern partners . Ukraine and the € 90 billion loan, as well as the situation in the Middle East , the subsequent energ...
European Commission - Announcement EU leaders reaffirm solidarity with Middle East partners and double down on support to Ukraine Brussels, 1 May 2026 President Ursula von der Leyen was in Cyprus last week to attend the informal meeting of European Heads of State and Government and meet with Middle Eastern partners . Ukraine and the € 90 billion loan, as well as the situation in the Middle East , the subsequent energy crisis and the MFF were all addressed during the informal Summit. This week, the President of the Commission addressed lawmakers on those topics in her speech at the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg. In Cyprus, President von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa, together with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held a trilateral meeting and welcomed the adoption of the Ukraine Support Loan as well as the adoption of the 20th sanction package . In her speech at the European Parliament Plenary, President von der Leyen emphasised the importance of these steps, declaring: “In spring, we said we would deliver the €90 billion loan – one way or the other. Now, we made good on this promise. (…) Our message is clear: we will continue our support to the brave Ukrainian people and their armed forces. While Russia doubles down on its aggression, Europe doubles down on our support to Ukraine.” President von der Leyen and President Costa had the opportunity to exchange with leaders from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the war in the Middle East. The President of the Commission welcomed the ceasefires between the US and Iran as well as between Israel and Lebanon , reaffirmed the EU's solidarity with partners in the region and emphasised the importance of the various partnerships the EU has with partners in the region, such as, for instance, the Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership with Jordan and Egypt. In the press point held by President von der Leyen with Middle Eastern partners , she reiterated: “We are not just partners in managing crisis. We are partners for the future. (…) Our security is not just related; it is intrinsically linked. A threat to a merchant vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is a threat to a factory, for example, in Belgium. So today I propose that we move beyond reactive crisis management.” President von der Leyen also discussed the energy crisis caused by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and what Europe is doing to address its impact. The President emphasised that this is the second energy crisis in just a few years and laid out the way forward in her speech at the European Parliament plenary. She declared: “We must reduce our overdependency on imported fossil fuels and boost our home-grown, affordable, clean energy supply. From renewables to nuclear, in full respect of technology neutrality.” The President of the Commission put forward the need for increased coordination at the European level, not only in filling national gas storage , but also regarding fuel reserves, especially jet fuels and diesel. She also insisted on the need to protect consumers and businesses, arguing that measures should be targeted to the most vulnerable households and industry only. Finally, President von der Leyen announced energy demand should be reduced by modernising systemic energy use . She called for greater energy efficiency and electrification . She emphasised: “ Let us use this to make the switch to electricity – not just in transport, but also in industry and heating. This is not only a matter of affordability and competitiveness, but also of economic security. Thus, speaking of European independence, this is the moment to electrify Europe.” The MFF was another key topic of discussions at the Summit and which President von der Leyen's highlighted in her speech at the Parliament: “The next EU budget is central to our competitiveness agenda. It can de-risk investment and crowd in private capital, it can fund strategic priorities at real European scale, and it can support reforms that make Europe a better place to invest.” She insisted on being lucid about the budgetary equation . From 2028 onward, the EU will start repaying NextGenerationEU , President von der Leyen also detailed the EU's need to invest more in new priorities, such as competitiveness and defence, and sustain funding for the EU's long-standing priorities, such as the CAP and Cohesion policy. Further, the President insisted on the need to keep national contributions in check . Therefore, she highlighted the need for new own resources: “If we want all four elements to be respected, then there is only one solution. New own resources are indispensable. I presented the different elements of the package of the new own resources. Without them, the choice is stark, higher national contributions or lower spending capacity.” More information: Statement by President von der Leyen with President Costa and President Zelenskyy Joint Statement by President of the European Council António Costa, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy Statement by President von der Leyen with President Costa and President Christodoulides following the Informal meeting of Heads of State and Government of April 2026 Press point by President von der Leyen with Middle East partners Speech by President von der Leyen at the European Parliament plenary debate on the EU strategy in response to the ongoing Middle East crisis, its implications on energy prices and the availability of fertilisers Questions and answers on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia Press release: EU adopts 20th package of sanctions against Russia Audiovisual coverage: Visit of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, to Cyprus Audiovisual coverage: Participation of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in the plenary session of the European Parliament AC/26/943 Related media Participation of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, in the plenary session of the European Parliament
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