Brussels, 19 March 2026 (dpa/MIA) - European Union leaders convene in Brussels on Thursday with the fallout from the war in Iran on top of the agenda, as well as the bloc's faltering support for Ukraine and ailing competitiveness.

Fuel prices in the EU have been on the rise since the US and Israel started airstrikes against Iran almost three weeks ago. Member states have been at odds over how to ease the burden of soaring energy bills on consumers and business.

Ahead of the summit, a group of five EU countries pleaded for doubling down on renewable energy as a response to the price surges. Others have called for reforms of the EU's carbon pricing scheme.

High energy prices and their impact on the EU's competitiveness have been an issue for the bloc long before the war in Iran started, prompting calls for cutting red tape and large-scale investments.

EU leaders will also discuss the war in Ukraine and spillover effects from the fighting in the Middle East when they are joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by video call.

The EU's support for Kiev suffered a setback last month when the 27 member countries failed to unanimously agree on new aid measures in time for the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

A 20th sanctions package on Russia and a loan worth €90 billion ($103 billion) remain caught up in a dispute between Kiev and Budapest over the halt of oil deliveries from Russia through the Druzhba pipeline.

Hoping to resolve the issue, the EU has recently offered financial and technical assistance to repair the pipeline.

MIA file photo