Press Advisories

7. 10. 2022 19:23

EU leaders discussed the energy situation in Europe and further assistance to Ukraine at an informal European Council meeting in Prague

Prime Minister P. Fiala, President of the Commission U. von der Leyen and President of the European Council Ch. Michel go for the final press conference, 7 October 2022.
Prime Minister P. Fiala, President of the Commission U. von der Leyen and President of the European Council Ch. Michel go for the final press conference, 7 October 2022.
High energy prices and further assistance to struggling Ukraine were the most important topics of the informal European Council summit held on Friday 7 October 2022 at Prague Castle as part of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Top representatives of the European Union countries met in Prague for an informal meeting. After a debate with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, they sat down at a table in the Spanish Hall of Prague Castle to discuss the current problems facing EU countries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also joined the meeting via videoconference.

"At today's informal meeting of the European Council, we mainly discussed Ukraine and the energy situation in Europe, which is unfortunately strongly affected by the Russian aggression in Ukraine. I am happy that during the negotiations that took place this week under the Czech Presidency, the Member States agreed to start training Ukrainian soldiers on the territory of the European Union and on a further sanctions package against Russia. This is very important. It is Russia that is the aggressor and both days, both formats of the meeting showed that Europe stands united behind Ukraine. That we are ready to continue to support Ukraine and we are working to ensure that Ukraine receives all the aid from Europe, including the money from the already approved package." Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said after the meeting of EU leaders.

The representatives of the 27 also discussed the current situation on the energy market. "We have discussed mainly the energy crisis that Europe has got into because of its heavy dependence on Russia and I must say that we have reached a consensus on the basics and that we welcome the proposals that the Commission has come up with. There is growing support for decoupling the price of gas from the price of electricity, which would result in lower prices for all citizens and businesses in the European Union. A number of colleagues have mentioned it, and I have also spoken about it: I proposed releasing emission allowances from the market reserve in order to reduce their price, which also has a major impact on electricity and heat prices. And we must also look for ways to help with energy prices for large companies that cannot yet be supported from state budgets because this goes against EU rules. We cannot allow competition between national solutions. In all these cases, it is more profitable, more effective and better to reach a European solution," the Prime Minister said.

The Czech Presidency will continue to work with its EU partners on the topics addressed at the extraordinary summit. "I believe that many of the things we have discussed today will see a fundamental shift in a fortnight at the ordinary European Council in Brussels," Prime Minister Fiala said. He also thanked all the organisers and participants of the two-day event. "Both days were - and I think I am not exaggerating - a promotion for the Czech Republic. They are proof that our country now has the necessary credit abroad and that we have the trust of our partners," the Prime Minister said.

The informal European Council meeting was preceded by Thursday's first meeting of the European Political Community, a new platform initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron, to which 44 democratic European countries have signed up.

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