BRUSSELS, March 20 (Bernama-dpa) -- European Union (EU) leaders are due to gather in Brussels on Thursday to discuss further support for Ukraine as well as efforts to ensure permanent competitiveness of the bloc's economy, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
Consultations on Israel's renewed military operation in the Gaza Strip as well as the EU's next long-term budget are also on the agenda.
The 27 EU leaders are not expected to make far-reaching decisions.
However, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has expressed hope that Ukraine will be promised the procurement of 2 million rounds of artillery ammunition for its defence against the ongoing Russian invasion, after she failed to receive sufficient support in recent weeks for an initiative for military aid pledges worth €20 billion (US$21.8 billion) to €40 billion.
The next EU leaders' summit following Thursday's meeting is scheduled for June.
This will likely be the last time that outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will represent Berlin at the high-level gathering, with conservative leader Friedrich Merz expecting to having replaced him by the next summit following parliamentary elections last month.
-- BERNAMA-dpa
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