Parliament debates on Ukraine loan, EU security and enlargement

Parliament debates the results of the December European Council meeting, with a focus on EU support for Ukraine, security and defence and the EU’s geopolitical priorities for a stronger and more sovereign EU amid rising geopolitical tensions. At the last EU summit in December, European leaders agreed to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan for 2026-2027 based on EU borrowing, while deferring the use of frozen Russian assets for reparations. On the Middle East, they reiterated the EU’s commitment to a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution. On defence and security, the European Council strongly condemned recent hybrid attacks against EU countries and reviewed progress on boosting EU defence readiness. Leaders also discussed the geoeconomic situation and its implications for the EU’s competitiveness, addressed the 2028-2034 EU long-term budget, and reaffirmed that enlargement remains a key geostrategic priority.