Von der Leyen and Costa Reaffirm Ukraine Support at Dublin Summit

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa issued a joint statement backing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a meeting in Dublin on 12 November 2026.

The talks took place on the margins of the European Political Community (EPC) summit, where the two European Union leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine. The joint statement also formally welcomed diplomatic discussions held that week in Abu Dhabi.

For Ukraine, high-level diplomatic visibility remains essential to maintaining European financial, political, and material assistance. The European Political Community brings together leaders from across the wider continent—both inside the European Union and beyond its borders—offering Kyiv an essential stage to coordinate directly with its key Western partners.

The public endorsement of the talks in Abu Dhabi also underscores that European leaders are monitoring parallel diplomatic tracks that engage partners outside Europe. For ordinary citizens across the bloc, the ongoing commitment highlights the continued priority assigned to stability on the Union's eastern frontier, which directly shapes EU budget allocations, defence planning, and energy policies.

In institutional terms, a joint statement featuring both the head of the Commission and the head of the European Council is deliberate stagecraft. The Commission acts as the EU executive, controlling the purse strings and accession files, while the European Council represents the national governments that must unanimously back foreign policy decisions.

Presenting von der Leyen and Costa side by side with Zelenskyy signals institutional harmony between the Berlaymont and the Europa building. While the EPC itself is an intergovernmental forum without legislative power or permanent staff, Brussels uses these broader gatherings to anchor European policy positions across candidate countries and non-EU neighbours alike.

Diplomatic attention will follow the progress of the discussions welcomed in Abu Dhabi and the execution of support measures agreed between Brussels and Kyiv. EU leaders are set to take stock of Ukraine's immediate requirements and broader foreign policy developments at upcoming European Council sessions in Brussels.