European leaders gather for informal meeting on AI, Ukraine

AI at center of discussions

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters before the meeting that leaders would examine both the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence, while emphasizing the significance of industrial AI. She underlined that the bloc had "amazing" knowledge and sector expertise alongside "very high quality data."

Von der Leyen stressed that Europe should aim to use that knowledge, expertise and data for industrial AI made in Europe. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin noted that leaders would also explore the balance between regulation and innovation, tech sovereignty, and how Europe can interact with AI developments across the world.

Focus on innovation and employment

Martin added that the discussions would address AI's impacts on employment and related risks. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola told reporters she rejected the mantra that Europe had somehow lost the AI race.

"I hate the mantra that Europe has somehow lost the AI race. I think we need the confidence and the strength to prove it," Metsola said. She underlined that the bloc had "world-class" talent, a "great" technology ecosystem and industrial expertise, stressing the need to unlock capital.

Ukraine peace talks also on agenda

Von der Leyen 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 said.

Martin said that, 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.