European Union Leaders' Summit Focuses on China, Ukraine, and Bloc Budget
European Union leaders at the Brussels summit will review measures to curb the bloc's large trade deficit with China. They will also seek further agreement on the EU's future budget ahead of some important elections next year.
15/10/2026 October 15, 2026 EU leaders will discuss measures to curb the EU's large trade deficit with China at the Brussels meeting. But they will also seek further agreement on the EU's future budget ahead of some key elections next year.
European Union leaders are due to meet in Brussels on Thursday for two days of talks that will focus on some of the major economic challenges facing the bloc, including competition from China.
The meeting is also likely to see heated debate over the bloc's budget for 2028-2034, with the usual divisive talks between net contributors and net recipients.
On Friday, the leaders are due to discuss further support for Ukraine as it faces a full-scale Russian invasion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The leaders are expected to discuss ways to close the bloc's widening trade deficit with China, which reached 360 billion euros ($400.4 billion) last year and is set to exceed that level this year.
The meeting comes less than a week after the European Commission reached an agreement with Beijing to limit imports of hybrid cars from China.
The European Union has accused China of unfair economic practices and has said that the country's government subsidies create an uneven playing field for the country's industries.
Industry groups say increased imports from China have led to increasing factory closures in the bloc.
Ahead of the meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron called for new EU measures to counter any actions that lead to market distortions.
However, leaders will look at rising energy prices within the bloc as another factor affecting its competitiveness.
The union's upcoming seven-year budget from 2028 to 2034 is also set to be another hot topic on the agenda ahead of a special summit to try to reach an agreement in November.
Debate over the budget, which requires unanimity, is often fierce and divided between wealthier countries and those that rely on EU cohesion funds.
Talks at the summit are not expected to yield any progress, but leaders hope to reach a compromise by the end of the year.
Pressure to finalize a budget before next year's elections is mounting in several member states, which could make it more difficult to reach a deal acceptable to all.
EU leaders are expected to turn their attention to the situation in Ukraine on Friday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to attend the meeting.
He is likely to urge the bloc to increase its support for Kiev as Russia escalates its offensive ahead of winter, killing dozens of civilians.
European aid becomes even more important as the United States continues its double-track approach to the conflict under Donald Trump, as reflected in a recent agreement to guarantee Russian diesel imports despite international sanctions.
Trump has also called for Zelensky to be replaced as the leader of Ukraine.
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Timothy Jones is a writer, translator and editor with DW's online news team.