Ireland's Martin says 'imperative' to make progress on budget, but expects disputes on agriculture
Not many other leaders showed up to offer doorstep comments this morning – and can you really blame them, after they had just a few hours of sleep?
But Ireland’s Micheál Martin popped in to tell reporters that “it’s imperative that we continue to make progress” on this budget.
Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin speaks to the press at a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Laia Ros/Reuters
But he also made it clear that agriculture is one big sticking point, with some countries not happy with the proposed allocation.
“It was very clear that quite a number of member states are anxious to improve somewhat on the draft budget proposals around agriculture, but it will be very challenging because there are a lot of competing demands,” he said, adding that “there are [already] some who believe the budget is too high as it is.”
Martin also praised Zelenskyy’s presentation last night as “one of the more significant presentations he has made” to EU leaders.
He said – echoing the leaders’s statement – that there are no signs from Russia that it would be willing to engage with the proposed peace process.
However, he still backed the calls for establishing a diplomatic channel with Russia.
“There’s some distance to go yet before, before we get there [to negotiations], but opening up channels, in my view, given our own experience in conflict resolution, is not something that we would criticise or be negative about.”
Merz says EU 'must not' take more debt as budget debate kicks off in Brussels
Meanwhile, Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz has sought to set the tone for discussions on the bloc’s new 2028-2034 budget, opposing a proposed increase in spending.
German chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks to the press at the European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Laia Ros/Reuters
Arriving for day two of the talks, Merz said the EU should “not move into further indebtedness,” AFP reported.
“We must not do that.”
The political talks on the budget are expected to take several months.
Morning opening: EU joins G7 in seeking to ramp up pressure on Russia
Jakub Krupa
After a long, long night in Brussels, EU leaders have signed off on a joint statement of support for Ukraine – the first signed off by all 27 member states since March 2025.
Prime minister of Latvia Andris Kulbergs arrives to attend the European Union leaders’ summit in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Laia Ros/Reuters
Guess we can call it the Magyar effect, after Péter Magyar, the new Hungarian prime minister, who replaced the infamously obstructive Viktor Orbán.
The statement reads fairly similar to that issued by the G7 earlier this week, siding with Ukraine and calling on Russia to engage with the peace process.
“Having failed to achieve its military and strategic objectives, Russia has intensified its missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
The European Council urges Russia to show genuine willingness regarding peace, agree to a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire and engage in meaningful negotiations towards a just and lasting peace. …
The European Union remains determined to further increase pressure on Russia and continue weakening Russia’s war economy so that it stops its brutal war of aggression and engages in meaningful negotiations towards peace.”
Despite some appetite for direct talks with Russia among certain leaders, they do not get a mention in the conclusions.
The bleary-eyed leaders are already back in the room this morning, discussing another contentious topic: of the EU’s next financial settlement.
Getting an agreement here is going to prove much more difficult, and we are unlikely to see binding decisions today.
Either way, we are going to hear from the leaders later today, when they are done with the talks.
I will bring you all the details here.
It’s Friday, 19 June 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
