The next European Council summit will take place on March 21 and 22 in Brussels in the midst of two major international crises, as well as burning domestic issues. The war in Ukraine remains the most pressing topic, as NATO has warned Ukrainian forces are running out of ammunition, among other military equipment. The European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell said he will put forward a proposal ahead of the summit to use frozen Russian assets to buy more military aid for Kiev and increase the EU's defense production. EU leaders will also discuss ways to strengthen the union's defense technological and industrial base and make the defense industry more resilient and competitive, according to the Council.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas will also be high on the agenda. While member states are likely to agree on the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the supply of humanitarian aid, they are far from united in their stance on Israel's role in the death of over 30,000 Palestinians and its alleged war crimes. Meanwhile, Borrell yesterday explicitly blamed Israel for causing famine in Gaza and using starvation as a "weapon of war."
The Council will discuss the next steps in the EU's enlargement process, including the progress made by Moldova and Ukraine, as well as the proposed accession talks with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Other topics on the domestic front will include agriculture, in light of recent farmers' protests across the continent, and the controversial issue of curbing migration. The Council said the EU will pursue an approach that combines "increased external action, partnerships with countries of origin and transit and stepping up returns," among other measures.
