Ilayda Cakirtekin
13 November 2026•Update: 13 November 2026
European leaders on Friday gathered for an informal European Council meeting, with artificial intelligence (AI) and developments regarding Ukraine remaining high on the agenda.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters ahead of the meeting that they would focus both on the opportunities and the risks of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the significance of industrial AI.
Underlining that the bloc had an “amazing” knowledge and sector expertise alongside “very high quality data,” von der Leyen stressed that they should aim to use these for industrial AI made in Europe.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin also noted that they would explore the balance between regulation and innovation, tech sovereignty, and how Europe can interact with developments in AI across the world.
He added that they would also focus on AI’s impacts on employment and related risks.
“I hate the mantra that Europe has somehow lost the AI race. I think we need the confidence and the strength to prove it,” European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also told reporters.
Underlining that the bloc has “world-class” talent, a “great” technology ecosystem and industrial expertise, she stressed the need to unlock capital.
“We need to make sure that there is funding for ideas to grow, to scale up in Europe,” Metsola said.
Ukraine peace talks also on agenda
Von der Leyen further welcomed the planned prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine.
“It is self-explanatory that Europe is included in the peace talks to safeguard our interests, but also to support Ukraine,” she also said.
Martin said now that it was clear Europe would be at the peace talks, today’s discussions would focus on the content and the type of peace that Europe wants to secure.
“We’ve always said we’re open to ceasefire monitoring, the peacekeeping dimension to it, and not the enforcement side of it, or not a deterrent force (…) Ireland as peacekeepers would be willing to play a role in monitoring that peace and particularly a ceasefire line,” he added.