Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz attended the European Political Community meeting on 12 November 2026 in Dublin called for further joint European Union aid to Ukraine At the start of the gathering, he advocated a sound budget and continued support, according to the German government. The Chancellor pointed to the strains Ukraine faces this winter.
Leaders from European countries inside and outside the EU are attending the meeting in Ireland. According to the European Council, 48 heads of state and government were invited, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as a guest. The meeting is co-chaired by Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and the President of the European Council, António Costa.
As well as security, the agenda includes the economic conditions needed for Europe to act effectively. The European Council lists innovation, connectivity and affordable energy as topics. Another priority is protecting and defending democratic states. The discussions therefore link external security issues with the economic conditions under which European countries can fund and shape their policies.
For Germany, the future financing of aid to Ukraine is particularly important. According to a report by the newspaper Le Monde, Merz had already addressed the sharing of the burden within the EU in a letter to Costa on 9 November. The report said the Chancellor called on member states to contribute to the support. His remarks in Dublin should therefore also be seen against the backdrop of a debate over how financial obligations are distributed in Europe.
The European Political Community was founded in 2022 after Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine as a forum for countries inside and outside the EU. The format is independent and is institutionally part of neither the European Union nor the Council of Europe. Council of EuropeAccording to the European Council, its purpose is to promote political dialogue and cooperation on shared issues.
The group extends beyond the EU: invitees include Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway. This composition makes it possible for governments that do not take part together in EU discussions to hold talks. The Associated Press news agency also notes that the forum does not make binding decisions. The discussions in Dublin therefore do not automatically lead to a funding decision.
An informal meeting of the European Council is scheduled to take place in Dublin on 13 November. Merz will also attend, according to his diary. EU leaders will focus mainly on artificial intelligence; current issues will also be discussed. Unlike the European Political Community, this meeting brings together the smaller group of EU countries. At the start of the summit, it was still unclear whether and how the issues raised at the wider forum would be followed up there.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).