Taoiseach in talks in Brussels on how best to secure Ukraine’s future

It is the last time EU leaders are meeting before Donald Trump takes over as US president. 

Mr Trump has made it clear he expects Europe to do “much more heavy lifting” regarding its own security, according to Nato sources.

“We need to make sure Ukraine is in the best possible position so that one day when they decide so, they can start the peace talks,” said Nato secretary general Mark Rutte alongside Mr Zelenskyy at his Nato residence in Brussels.

“It means that we have to do everything now so that when it comes to air defence, weapons systems we provide whatever we can to protect critical infrastructure.”

While there is no timeline yet for formal discussions in ending the war, Mr Zelenskyy and his European allies agree any such engagements should come from a place of strength, in order for a “just” or fair peace to emerge.

Mr Zelenskyy said Ukraine required “security guarantees “as part of any settlement to ensure Russia is not awarded an opportunity to re-invade Ukraine at any point in the future.

The Taoiseach will be pushing for further early dialogue with Mr Trump’s picks on the areas of trade, Ukraine, security, and the Middle East, according to government sources.

Mr Harris also expected to raise the issue of Israel shutting its embassy in Dublin, and reiterate Ireland’s position on the dire humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza at a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday.

Overall, the fragile emerging situation in the Middle East will weigh heavily on the heads of state and government, where the Taoiseach is expected to push leaders again for an EU-Israel Association Council where the matter of Israeli actions in Gaza can be discussed face to face with Israeli government delegates.

For almost a year, the European Commission and several EU member states have declined to engage Israel on the issue, despite Ireland arguing that Israel is in breach of the agreement’s human rights clause over its belligerent operations in Gaza and the West Bank.

On Syria, EU leaders will discuss the likelihood of a stable administration in Damascus after the fall of Assad.

There is a “serious risk” given the recent history of the rebels who’ve taken over but also an “opportunity for Syria”, an EU official source said.

“We’ll certainly discuss how we would like to see Syria emerge, with respect for human rights, for women, and unity, with an eventual focus of scope for return of refugees,” the official said.

“We’re not naïve about where these people come from and what was their past but they have said a couple of things where we hope we can hold them accountable,” another official said.

Leaders will discuss the role of the EU “in the world”, and how best to engage with the so-called Global South, or the ‘Global Majority’ and address the double-standard, a criticism frequently levelled at the EU describing the selective application of international law for some regimes and not others.

The matter has become particularly acute over the last year where the EU has refrained from challenging Israel for its actions in Gaza which have led to an ‘apocalyptic’ humanitarian crisis.