Pressekonference with António Costa and Von der Leyen 19. december 2025

OBS. Maskintransskriberet

Statsminister Mette Frederiksen: Thank you so much, Antonio and Ursula. When we opened our presidency in Aarhus, I said that Europe is facing the greatest challenges since the end of the Second World War. Russia's brutal war against Ukraine, hybrid attacks, global uncertainty, and therefore it has been a key priority for Denmark during the presidency to make, or at least to do our part, to ensure that Europe is as strong as possible and, of course, to support Ukraine. Today's task, as you have already heard, was to find stable financing for Ukraine for the next two years. And during the day, we found a solution, a loan worth 90 billion euro based on the EU budget, a loan that Ukraine will not have to repay before Russia pays war reparations. And the Russian assets will remain frozen. So, the bottom line after today is that our support for Ukraine is guaranteed. And this is important for many reasons. First of all, because the three of us standing here look at Ukraine as our first line of defense and at the same time we have to rearm ourselves we have to create security for every European citizen as this is the final meeting during our presidency let me just highlight some few results and I can do it quickly because you have already mentioned as some of the results we have received together. Of course, new sanctions on Russia. I will underline the importance of strong measures against the Russian shadow fleet. We have made the historic decision to put an end to the import of Russian gas to Europe. By the way, we should have done this several years ago, but now we finally got th needed result, and the idea behind all of this is of course to make Ukraine stronger and Russia weaker. And only by this we can ensure that Europe is as strong as possible. On migration, I think my view is well known. The current situation in Europe is unsustainable. Our citizens have demanded action for a very, very long time. And I am quite proud of the results that we have achieved. We have agreements now on safe third countries, safe countries of origin and returns. And a majority of the countries are now willing to look into new solutions to solve even more problems. So very, very important decisions. Also on the climate target and on removing unnecessary burdens for European businesses. So I think we have made some good decisions together and let me just finalize by that.

Moderator: Thank you. Thank you very much. I'll open the floor for questions and I will start with Mark. 

Journalist: Good morning, Mark Paperkorn, Volkskrant. I want to start with the support for Ukraine. Like you already said, there were two options on the table, but I know you all three had a strong preference for the option of using the assets. It has not happened. I know you will say we still have the possibility to do it later, etc. etc. But nevertheless, are you not all three maybe slightly disappointed that it was not possible this time? Thanks. 

Formand for Det Europæiske Råd António Costa: Well, first of all, we are already using the immobilized the assets. We are paying the loan from the G7, and we took the decision to immobilize assets until the end of the war, until Russia pay the damage to Ukraine. Now today, what it was relevant that we achieve our goal to ensure the financial needs of
Ukraine for 2026 and 2027. The Commission presented two proposals. One of them, it could not work at the first moment because we don't reach unanimity to approve. And we need to work on the other one, more challenging from the legal and technical and financial point of view. In this European Council, we will reach unanimity to ensure immediately this loan that clarify that we have a clear solution to support Ukraine and at the same time we can continue to work to address all the legal, technical issues that we need to address to implement the reparation

Formand for EU-Kommissionen Ursula von der Leyen: So we had a very clear goal that was securing the financing for Ukraine. That is of utmost importance. 90 billion for two years. If we would not have had this tasking to put on the table two options or options for the financing for Ukraine, my guess is we would not have had the courage or the political momentum to permanently immobilize the Russian assets. That's the big win. Because as you know, before that, every six months there was a threat that just one member state not agreeing to the sanctions anymore, the rollover to the sanctions, the immobilized Russian assets would have been gone. Now they are secured for good and can only be mobilized again with a qualified majority. So that was, I think, the most important part in it. And then indeed with all the discussions and the different risks, it was a combination that evolved. The borrowing against the headroom on one hand, but indeed also the fact that Ukraine has only to pay back the loans if Russia pays reparations. If this is not the case, Ukraine does not have to pay back the loans. 

Statsminister Mette Frederiksen: So, in the result that we concluded on like an hour ago, so it's almost a combination of the two models. And for me, the most important thing is that if the urgent need for financing is now concluded on, it's guaranteed for the next two years Ukraine will receive the money that they need. And when we found a way to build a bridge between the two models. So, I preferred one model when we started the meeting, but I think the conclusion is quite good. 

Moderator: I'll give the floor is quite good. I'll give the floor to Ole. 

Journalist: Thank you, Ole Ryborg, from Danish National Radio and Television. The same question, but put in a different way, first for Commission President Von der Leyen. On Wednesday morning, you said in your speech in the European Parliament that this was the independence moment for Europe. Was this how you imagined the moment at quarter to four in the morning and with Mercosur postponed and with a different solution to reparations than you had imagined? Is that how Europe shows the rest of the world where we are nowadays? And Prime Minister Frederiksen, you have been at several locations, also here in Brussels, impatient in the way that EU takes its decisions and been arguing for that the EU need to be more swift and take decisions faster. Are you happy with the way this has, I mean, the way the signal is, this summit sent to Russia, to the Americans, to Latin America? And if not, have you discussed it with Costa? And are you happy with the way that this is run where we sit here at four o'clock in the morning and Mercosur is postponed to January and it all looks a bit messy? 

Formand for EU-Kommissionen Ursula von der Leyen: So, an independent Europe is the goal we are working for and in my speech I elaborated for example independence in energy we have succeeded painfully the path forward but we have succeeded now successfully to get rid of the over-dependency on Russian fossil fuels in the energy sector. And the other example was on defense. I mean, what have we achieved in this last year is amazing. The last decades was the investment in defense, 8 billion on the European level. We have enabled up to 800 billion this year till 2030. So huge steps forward and this is the work for an independent Europe. Of course, like in every big task, you have also the days where these are small steps forward. So, if you're not working hard, you will never get to the goal. But this morning when we came, I think at 10 o'clock to the European Council, there was no clear pathway to Mercosur and there was no clear pathway to Ukraine funding. 90 billion euros we're speaking about. Now at almost 4 a.m. we have a clear pathway for Mercosur and you know how hard we had to fight for it. We have it now. And we have 90 billion euros secured for Ukraine for the next two years. I think for this amount of success, these were a few hours that we spent in the European Council. 

Statsminister Mette Frederiksen: If we start with the substance, and hopefully that is the most important thing, then the conclusions on Ukraine are the right ones. because what we were searching for and what we had to achieve was to ensure financing for Ukraine. We asked the Commission to put different ideas on the table. I'm not surprised that it's difficult to have 27 different countries to agree on a very, very big decision. Now it sounds like it's just something that you do during a night, but I mean, insuring another country 90 billion euro for the next two years, I don't think it has ever been seen before in our history. So, it's quite something to achieve. And as you know, I mean, there are a lot of people outside the European Union and unfortunately also inside the European Union who tries to divide us. It is getting more and more difficult and I think this will continue. I mean, until now we have stayed almost totally united, even though a war has been going on for almost four years. And so, of course, we need time to take the right decisions fast, knowing that unfortunately some countries do not support what we think is the right thing to do for our common Europe. But we managed, and we will do so next time. But my guess is that things will be more difficult from now on, because look at how elections are going, and how things unfortunately are changing in these years. But going back to the substance, now there is financing for Ukraine for the next two years. That was our goal. That is what we have achieved. 

Formand for Det Europæiske Råd António Costa: Well, frankly speaking, I don't like to be here at four o'clock in the morning, but I presume that I'm not very original on this. But I like that we deliver, first of all, to finance Ukraine for the next two years 90 billion euros, and to decide that Ukraine will pay only when they receive the payments from Russia for their damages and we still and we keep the assets immobilized until Russia paid to Ukraine and then Ukraine can pay us the loan. And I like that we have now after 26 years negotiating the Mercosur, now we have agreed to sign not on Saturday, but three weeks later. I think the world don't lose a lot with these three weeks after 26 years. Then this I like and I like very much that we are united on our diversity and in spite of all our difference we reach to take decisions even on unanimity when it's necessary.

Journalist: Thank you very much. David Carretta Radio Radical, Italian radio tonight if my if I understood well, you have adopted conclusion at 25, not 26 anymore, on Ukraine. So one country less. Three countries decided not to participate in this loan. Do you think that the EU is still united on Ukraine. And don't you fear that the more the time will pass, the more the leader, some leader, will stop to support these type of actions? And then I would have a question for Prime Minister Frederiksen, if I may. Don't you think that there is an imbalance between some member states apart the three? Some of them, which are far away from Russia, are not ready to do whatever it takes. Maybe they can stay a little bit more, but they are not ready to take risks, financial risks to protect Belgium, for example, or put much more money on weapons delivery and so on? 

Formand for EU-Kommissionen Ursula von der Leyen: Thank you. So I remember very well four years ago, almost four years ago, at the beginning of the war, it was after six, seven, eight months, the first warnings came up, fatigue and careful and people will not support over time. Now we are unfortunately in the fourth year and from my perspective, it's impressive the ongoing support for Ukraine. Just the fact that today, for example, we had the rollover of the sanctions, 19 packages of sanctions, rollover unanimously. And this after, as I said, four years, that shows the steadfastness that the European Union has. Of course, I mean, you always need to take all your strength to keep on going. The goal is to come to peace, a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. As you know, we are working hard on it. But in hindsight, over these four years, in my view, the support of the European Union for Ukraine has been impressive. 

Formand for Det Europæiske Råd António Costa: Look, as you can imagine, as President of the European Council, I should respect all the member states on their diversity. And of course, as everybody knows, they are different opinions, different positions, namely on Ukraine. But what is important, in spite of this diversity of positions, we reach to take the decisions when we need to take the decisions. That Friday, we take the decision to immobilize the frozen assets until the end of the war, until Russia pay to Ukraine. Today, we approve by unanimity 90 billion euros of financing support to Ukraine. And that means that in spite of all this diversity, we manage and we deliver in what we need to deliver. 

Statsminister Mette Frederiksen: I think I will put it this way. As long as we are able to take the necessary decisions, then we are united. So I'm looking in the results of the conclusions, and today is a good example that when something is necessary, then we are able to deliver. But at the same time, we have to say that many governments and leaders are under a growing pressure in their national political discussions, parliaments and so on. It is changing in Europe, unfortunately, and I have to say this is what Putin is hoping for. The combination of some kind of war fatigue with a hybrid war that brings a lot of uncertainty and insecurity into our societies, that is what he has been planning for. So we have to stick together and we have to do what is necessary. If I can be very honest, I mean, before the war started, it was quite clear that the countries on the eastern flank and the countries who have very bad historical experiences with Russia were the first ones to know what was coming to us. But after four years of war and now a hybrid war going on against all of us, then I don't think it has any... I mean, there's no idea of looking at Russia from an eastern or western or northern or southern perspective because they are threatening the entire European continent and, of course, unfortunately also our European Union. So for me it's not a question about belonging to the eastern flank or being in the northern part. We have to recognize that they consider themselves as in a conflict with us, and therefore we have to stick together and do what is needed. 

Moderator: We'll take one final question, and I'll take Laura. Okay, I will give the question to Laura. Thank you. 

Journalist: Good evening, Laura Perez for the Spanish News Agency. I will post my question in Spanish, if I may. If you want, you can say it. [Spansk: It's about the agreement with Mercosur. Do you think that postponing the signing could put the agreement or the credibility of the EU as a reliable partner? And how, I mean, will you be sure to get a majority to ensure that we can sign the agreement? Is the Commission prepared to come forward with new safeguards to help reticent partners? ]

Formand for EU-Kommissionen Ursula von der Leyen: Yes, I would love to give you the floor because of your beautiful Spanish. 

Formand for Det Europæiske Råd António Costa: But I'm not the European Commission. 

Formand for EU-Kommissionen Ursula von der Leyen: Yeah, that's true. So you're right. So, yes, I'm confident that we have the sufficient majority. There is still, as I said, work to do with member states. Therefore, we needed a slight postponement. But I mean, my friend Antonio Costa has said it already, after 26 years of negotiations, a delay of three weeks I think is tolerable. It's amazing that we are moving towards the conclusion of this so important trade agreement and I'm very confident that we'll bring it home. 

Formand for Det Europæiske Råd António Costa: [Spansk: Let me add something. We only managed to do this thanks to the excellent work of the Commission. The Commission has worked very hard and well with member states and with agricultural partners and the Commission came forward with important proposals which addressed many of the questions raised by farmers and also by member states. They came forward with proposals which got strong support from the European Parliament in order to ensure the necessary safeguard measures and to adopt the mirror clauses. So, all this has put the necessary conditions in place, which means that we are certain to sign the agreement, all be it, three weeks behind schedule. Thank you very much.