EU summit: Leaders back Von der Leyen for second term

EU leaders said on Thursday that Georgia's bid to join the bloc had been put on hold following the passing of a controversial law targeting alleged foreign influence that was inspired by similar Russian legislation.

Georgia became an official candidate country last year, but the new law, passed earlier this month, has become a hurdle to the southern Caucasus country's accession.

In a statement issued as EU leaders met in Brussels for a key summit, the bloc called on Georgian authorities "to clarify their intentions by reversing the current course of action which jeopardizes Georgia's EU path, de facto leading to a halt of the accession process."

The EU condemned the "foreign influence" law which it said "represented backsliding" on some of the advances made by the country on its path to becoming an EU member state. But the bloc is also wary of driving the former Soviet state back under Moscow's influence.

Ursula von der Leyen has thanked EU leaders for nominating her for a second term as president of the European Commission.

"Grateful to Leaders for endorsing my nomination for a second mandate," she said on social media.

"Delighted to share this moment with my friends Antonio Costa and Kaja Kallas."

She said she would now present her political agenda to MEPs ahead of a vote to confirm her.

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said she was "honored" to be nominated to replace Josep Borrell as the European Union's foreign policy chief.

"This has enormous responsibility at this moment of geopolitical tensions," she said in a statement.

Kallas must still be endorsed by a majority in the European Parliament to be confirmed. She said she would make her case to MEPs in the coming days.

"The war in Europe, increasing instability in our neighborhood and globally are the main challenges for European foreign policy," Kallas said.

"My aim will be to work on achieving EU unity, protect the EU's interests and values in the changed geopolitical context, and build global partnerships."

The 47-year-old, who previously sat as an MEP before becoming Estonia's first woman prime minister in 2021, is a leading critic of the Kremlin within the EU.

Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa said he was "delighted" by EU leaders' nominations for the bloc's three top jobs, including his nomination to replace Charles Michel as head of the European Council.

"As president of the European Council, from 1 December, I will be fully committed to promoting unity between all 27 Member States and focused on putting on track the Strategic Agenda, which the European Council has approved today and will provide guidance to the European Union for the next five years," Costa said on social media.

The 62-year-old stepped down as Portugal's prime minister in November last year amid an investigation into his government's handling of several large investment projects.

The center-left politician said he was assuming the role with a "huge sense of mission."

The European Union is pledging to provide Ukraine with military, financial, diplomatic and humanitarian support over the long term. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the agreement while on a visit to Brussels during a summit of EU leaders. 

EU leaders formally nominated Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission president late on Thursday.

The choice was not a surprise as leaders had informally agreed to support von der Leyen as part of a deal struck on Tuesday.

The leaders also officially agreed on the appointments of former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa as head of the European Council and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as foreign policy chief.

Two of the endorsements do not mean they have been confirmed just yet, as von der Leyen and Kallas will still need to win the support of a majority in the freshly elected European Parliament.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has praised early negotiations surrounding European Union leadership positions.

"It is crucial for the Czech Republic that the distribution respects not only political but also geographical balance," he said on social media.

"The names that have been proposed so far meet these criteria."

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Portugal's former Prime Minister Antonio Costa were among the names floated so far for senior roles.

Fiala said he had a good relationship with some of the candidates.

"I know all of them personally, they have a positive relationship with the Czech Republic and I have very good experience working with them," he said.

Fiala is aligned with the right-wing populist ECR faction, headed by Italy's Giorgia Meloni, in the European Parliament. It remains to be seen whether Fiala's support for the list of names will have an impact on Meloni herself who previously denounced the selection process.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that he will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before July 9.

"We agreed with President Zelenskyy to talk in Warsaw before the NATO summit," Tusk said in a post published on the platform X, formerly Twitter, as he and Zelenskyy attended an EU summit in Brussels.

"The EU has understood what Poles have known from the start of this war: the defense of Ukraine is the defense of Europe," Tusk said.

The July 9 NATO summit is scheduled to be held in Washington, DC.

Earlier on Thursday, Zelenskyy signed with leaders in Brussels a security agreement that committed EU member states to continue supporting Ukraine "regardless of any internal institutional changes."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized Ursula von der Leyen's party, the center-right European People's Party (EPP), and its allies for what he described as a "shameful agreement" on dividing the EU's top jobs. 

"European voters have been deceived. The EPP formed a coalition of lies with the left and the liberals. We do not support this shameful agreement!" Orban said on X, formerly Twitter.

The nationalist Hungarian leader's remarks echoed earlier comments by Italy's far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, who also claimed the deal ignored the voters' will. 

The EPP agreed with its main allies, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the centrist Renew, on a deal to propose candidates to helm the EU following the elections. The deal was endorsed by six leaders, including France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Olaf Scholz, acting as negotiators for their political families. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for financial support for EU countries that have hosted the most Ukrainian refugees. 

In remarks to the press upon arrival at the summit, Scholz noted that Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic are among those countries. 

"If other countries are less involved in taking in refugees," he said, this must mean that the EU supports the host countries "especially financially." Scholz said such financing was needed in areas such as living expenses or integration and language courses

He said he expected the topic to be discussed in the two-day summit. 

Scholz's remarks come amid calls by German conservative politicians to limit help for Ukrainian refugees in Germany.

The leader of the Bavarian conservatives (CSU) in parliament, Alexander Dobrindt, had said that Ukrainian refugees in Germany should "start working or return to safe areas in west Ukraine."

Last month, after years of debate, the EU formally approved new migration and asylum rules that include tougher borders and shared responsibility among the bloc's members.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a security agreement with the EU that he had earlier hailed as an advancement of "peace and prosperity."

The new security agreement, dubbed "Joint Security Commitments between the EU and Ukraine," ensures the bloc's support to Kyiv "regardless of any internal institutional changes," Zelenskyy had earlier said.

After taking part in the signing ceremony, Zelenskyy is addressing EU leaders who are meeting in Brussels to agree on dividing the bloc's top jobs after the latest European Parliament election. 

Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who is expected to be selected as the next EU foreign policy chief, and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda also signed bilateral security agreements with Zelenskyy in Brussels.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was part of the negotiating team that proposed the top jobs, said there had been a "misunderstanding" after his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, criticized the deal. 

Tusk said the deal was reached only "to facilitate the process" and for Meloni and other leaders to make the decision, adding: "no-one respects PM Meloni and Italy more than I do."

"There is no Europe without Italy and there is no decision without Prime Minister Meloni," he said. 

Meloni, whose political group in the European Parliament is now the third-largest, had said the deal naming the new top EU officials did not take into account the will of EU citizens "who are calling for a more concrete, less ideological Europe."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was in Brussels to attend the EU summit and "thank all European leaders for their unity and for affirming the irreversibility of our European course."

Zelenskyy said he would sign three agreements, including one with the EU.

"For the first time, this agreement will enshrine the commitment of all 27 Member States to provide Ukraine with extensive support, regardless of any internal institutional changes," he said.

Outgoing European Council President Charles Michel told reporters that the security agreement would "give the message we intend to support Ukraine as long as it takes."

Zelenskyy did not provide details about the other two, but they are likely the outcome of bilateral talks on the sidelines with leaders of EU member states.

Ukraine has already signed several bilateral security agreements with allies including the US, France, Germany, Britain and Japan. Such agreements are not mutual defense pacts, but they rather outline the countries' commitments to support Ukraine with military aid and other forms of assistance over a number of years.

Leaders of the EU's 27 member states are set to discuss the Israel-Hamas war and economic competitiveness. They are also expected to adopt a strategic agenda for the next five years.

The EU's support for Ukraine will also be discussed, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expected to sign a security agreement with the bloc. Attending the talks in Brussels, Zelenskyy is set to brief EU leaders on the situation on the front line in Ukraine.