Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Costa Arrives For A Meeting With EU

António Costa Is Now President of the European Council

• Costa, formerly Prime Minister of Portugal, has been serving as President of the European Council.

• In that role, he travels to meet other EU leaders, not as Portuguese PM, but as the Council President.

• For example, he did a “Tour des Capitales” across EU member states to talk with heads of state or government.

Security & Russia / Ukraine

• In a press conference after an informal European Council meeting on 1 October 2025, Costa emphasized that European security is under threat, especially from Russia, and pledged strong collective defense.

• After the October 2025 formal European Council meeting, he announced that EU leaders committed to ensuring the financial needs of Ukraine are covered for the next two years.

• Costa has also said that Ukraine’s EU accession process “needs to progress.”

EU-USA Relations

• In a recent interview, Costa said that the EU is “stabilizing” its relations with the United States.

• He noted that NATO, U.S. support for Ukraine, and transatlantic ties remain key parts of that relationship.

Western Balkans

• Costa is scheduled to travel to the Western Balkans (12–16 May 2025) to reaffirm the EU’s commitment to the region and co-host a European Political Community summit