Summit 23-24 June; Ukraine, Food Prices, EU Accession In Focus

The European Council summit takes place in Brussels from 23-24 June with a number of major topics on the agenda for member state leaders to discuss. The official agenda has European leaders set to discuss the war in Ukraine - including the impact of the fighting on regional and global food security, and what more the EU can do to assist Kyiv; the EU membership applications of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia (EU leaders set to vote at the summit on whether to give each nation candidate status); economic issues; and 'wider Europe' where leaders will discuss relations with non-EU European nations (current difficulties in UK relations over NI protocol likely to feature).

• A Euro Summit of leaders of eurozone member states will also take place on 24 June. The progress in Croatia's path to joining the eurozone likely to feature heavily.
• On 23 June, ahead of the summit, an EU-Western Balkans leaders' meeting takes place. Tensions between EU and states such as Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia over seeming 'fast-tracking' of Ukraine's membership process. Some cause for hope for the linked applications of Albania and North Macedonia after former Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov would vote with the gov't in favour of beginning EU accession talks with both nations.
• Timings of main events:
  • 23 June: 0800CET (0200ET, 0700BST) Arrivals for EU- Western Balkans leaders' meeting. 0930CET Working Session. 1130CET Presser. 1400CET (0800ET, 1300BST) Arrivals for EUCO, 1500CET Roundtable w/Euro Parl President. 1530CET Working session. 1930CET Working dinner, presser at conclusion of talks.
  • 24 June: 0915CET (0315ET, 0815BST): Arrivals. 100CET Roundtable. 1200CET Working session for members of Euro Summit