EU Leaders to Discuss Support for Ukraine and Containment of Energy Prices

Disagreements remain in EU over EU-wide gas price ceilings EU leaders will meet next Friday to discuss strengthening support for Ukraine and further steps to curb energy prices. In an invitation letter to EU leaders published Sunday, European Council President Charles Michel called for a strong EU response to recent developments, including Russia’s announcement of its annexation of four Ukrainian regions. “At our meeting, we will discuss how to continue to provide strong economic, military, political and financial support to Ukraine for as long as it takes,” said Michel, who is chairing the meetings of EU leaders. At the Prague meeting, EU leaders will also make recommendations to Brussels on the next steps the EU should take to deal with soaring energy prices, Michel said. “Our main task is to guarantee security of supply and affordable energy for our households and businesses, especially amid the approaching winter cold,” he stressed. On Friday, EU energy ministers adopted a new policy package to curb high energy prices, including taxes on windfall profits for energy companies. States’ opinions on further measures are divided. Many are calling for an EU-wide cap on gas prices. Others, including Germany, oppose it. EU leaders will also discuss protection of infrastructure. Recall that breaches in the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea prompted some countries to send military personnel to protect potentially vulnerable energy systems. Голос Америки