Irish PM calls for 'a European response' to Ukraine's needs and outreach to the US
Irish PM Micheál Martin got asked about Ukraine on his arrival, too.
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Martin → call → arrival
He said “the very severe pressure that Ukraine is under needs a European response,” with the opening of the accession clusters, and the deploying of the EU’s €90bn loan to Ukraine as soon as possible.
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Ukraine → say → Ukraine
He also says there needs to be a “clearer landscape” on what the EU can offer Ukraine in medium term, “whether it’s immobilised assets or other mechanisms.”
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it → say → term
“I am conscious on the last occasion, we strongly supported the issue of the seizure, the seized assets and whether they could be deployed.
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they → support → seizure
But that came to nought in the end.”
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that → come → end
He says Europe needs to “maintain the pressure on Russia.”
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Europe → say → Russia
But he also notes that he wants to see “a continuing outreach from Europe to the United States,” making representations that “as far as Europe is concerned, Russia has been the aggressor from the beginning.”
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Russia → note → beginning
“What is happening now is, really, without any sort of regard for innocent civilian life, Russia is simply bombing civilian infrastructure, and endeavouring to kill as many people as possible in Ukraine and to put as much pressure as possible on the civilian population in Ukraine to try and force a Ukrainian climbdown.
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Russia → happen → climbdown
The stakes are high and the situation is of considerable concern.”
If Europe wants to eat croissants, drink coffee and not think about threats - support Ukraine
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Europe → want → Ukraine
, Latvian PM says
Latvian PM Andris Kulbergs drops an early quote of the day contender, as he explains the stakes on Ukraine in direct and practical terms:
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he → say → terms
“It is a super important moment because, well, if we want comfort in Europe and [be able to] eat croissant, drink coffee in the morning, and don’t think about the threats, then we have to support Ukraine.”
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we → want → Ukraine
He says Russia “was pulled out from under the water” by Trump’s war in Iran and the crisis in the strait of Hormuz, which increased its oil revenues, “and that is not helping.
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that → say → revenues
“Ukraine needs financial support and military support in order to have to go through this harsh winter … ahead of us.”
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Ukraine → need → us
Zelenskyy thanks for support from 'real leaders' as he stresses need to prepare for winter
In what definitely feels like a swipe at some other leaders (*waves across the ocean*), Zelenskyy begins his remarks by saying he is happy to have “huge support” from “leaders, real leaders.”
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he → stress → leaders
He says Ukraine wants the war to end as soon as possible, but sees “no signals from the Russian side that they are ready to end this war.”
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they → say → war
“That’s why we have to prepare for the winter,” both on energy and defence, he says.
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he → ’ → energy
'We will not lift any sanctions unless Russia stops the war,' EU's von der Leyen says
Commission president von der Leyen also delivers a pretty unequivocal message, as she blames Russia for violating Donald Trump’s energy ceasefire and says Moscow “escalated” its attacks instead.
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Moscow → lift → attacks
She makes it clear that the EU will not offer Russia any concessions, despite pressure from the US.
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EU → make → US
“One thing is absolutely clear: we will not lift any sanctions unless Russia stops the war.”
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Russia → lift → war
She says the talks today will also focus on defining Ukraine’s path to the European Union by opening two further “negotiating clusters” as they are known before the end of the year.
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they → say → year
The leaders will also discuss how to support Ukraine during the winter.
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leaders → discuss → winter
'This is no time to withdraw support to Ukraine,' Costa says
Arriving with Zelenskyy and von der Leyen, Costa is very clear in his message on Ukraine as he declares the EU’s support to Ukraine “remains as strong as ever.”
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support → withdraw → Ukraine
In what feels like a targeted message to Ukraine, Russia, but also the US, he says:
“This is no time to withdraw the support to Ukraine.
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This → feel → Ukraine
This is no time to relieve Russia’s sanctions.”
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This → relieve → sanctions
He adds “this is essential to bring Russia to accept a real ceasefire, to bring Russia to the table of negotiations and to stop this war.”
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this → add → war
Costa also signals his intention to move on the accession prospects for Ukraine, saying:
“You can count on us not only to support you in war, but most important for your future as a member of the European Union.”
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You → signal → Union
EU leaders meet to discuss Ukraine
Jakub Krupa
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leaders → meet → Ukraine
EU leaders and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy are meeting today in Brussels to discuss the latest in Russia’s war against Ukraine amid worsening relations between Kyiv and Washington.
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leaders → meet → Kyiv
Zelenskyy is expected to arrive any moment now, alongside European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa.
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Zelenskyy → expect → Leyen
Overnight Ukraine was once again affected by Russian attacks, which killed at least three in the eastern city of Kharkiv.
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which → affect → Kharkiv
370,000 people were left without power in the Volyn region bordering Poland.
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people → leave → Poland
Today’s talks come at a critical moment as Ukraine increasingly struggles with repelling Russian air attacks as a result of acute shortages of interceptor missiles, with Zelenskyy also involved in a very public series of disagreements with Donald Trump at White House.
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Zelenskyy → come → House
The EU leaders will discuss what the bloc can do to support Ukraine during the upcoming winter and beyond and whether any substantial progress can be made on the key issue of its plans to join the European Union.
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progress → discuss → Union
Separately, the leaders will also talk about migration and foreign policy more broadly.
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leaders → talk → migration
I will bring you all the key updates here.
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I → bring → updates
It’s Friday, 16 October 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
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this → ’ → ?
The Aporia
