STORY: European Union leaders began a packed summit on Thursday (October 15) to debate surging exports from China, high energy prices, and wide differences over the future EU budget.

The leaders from the EU's 27 members meet less than a week after the European Commission secured an agreement with Beijing to limit imports of hybrid cars from China.

The importing of Chinese vehicles has been blamed by European industry groups for factory closures.

EU leaders will also discuss the bloc's next seven-year budget, which requires unanimous approval and often leads to divisive negotiations between net contributors and net recipients.

The 2028-2034 budget is no different, with a special summit set for late November to try to reach agreement.

One of Friday's (October 16) main topics will be the challenges facing Ukraine, with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy due to attend.

Leaders are likely to discuss Ukraine's funding needs for 2027.

Arriving at the summit, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his government regretted the United States' decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian diesel.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

EU leaders meet to discuss Ukraine support, budget

VIDEO SHOWS: EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS GATHERING IN MEETING ROOM

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 15, 2026) (EUROPEAN UNION – Access all)

1. FRENCH PRESIDENT, EMMANUEL MACRON, AND CYPRIOT PRESIDENT, NIKOS CHRISTODOULIDES, ENTERING MEETING ROOM

2. EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT, ANTONIO COSTA, AND EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, TALKING

3. EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF, KAJA KALLAS, GREETING VON DER LEYEN AND COSTA

4. MACRON SHAKING HANDS WITH AUSTRIAN CHANCELLOR, CHRISTIAN STOCKER

5. MALTESE PRIME MINISTER, ROBERT ABELA, GREETING KALLAS; COSTA GREETING PORTUGUESE PRIME MINISTER, LUIS MONTENEGRO

6. MACRON GREETING VON DER LEYEN

7. PHOTOGRAPHER WORKING

8. VON DER LEYEN, MACRON AND CZECH PRIME MINISTER, ANDREJ BABIS, TALKING

9. LUXEMBOURGIAN PRIME MINISTER, LUC FRIEDEN, AND DUTCH PRIME MINISTER, ROB JETTEN, ENTERING MEETING ROOM

10. VON DER LEYEN, MACRON AND BABIS TALKING / COSTA GREETING BABIS

11. COSTA AND MACRON TALKING

12. VON DER LEYEN AND CHRISTODOULIDES TALKING

13. JETTEN GREETING COSTA AND MACRON

14. OFFICIALS IN MEETING ROOM

15. COSTA, MACRON, JETTEN AND BELGIAN PRIME MINISTER, BART DE WEVER, TALKING

16. IRISH PRIME MINISTER, MICHEAL MARTIN, AND JETTEN LAUGHING TOGETHER

17. MONTENEGRO, JETTEN, MACRON, DE WEVER AND COSTA TALKING

18. VON DER LEYEN TALKING TO DE WEVER

19. MACRON SHAKING HANDS WITH LATVIAN PRIME MINISTER, ANDRIS KULBERGS

20. PHOTOGRAPHER WORKING

21. MACRON GREETING GERMAN CHANCELLOR, FRIEDRICH MERZ

22. EU LEADER SITTING IN MEETING ROOM