EU security and defence are the key issues to be discussed at the informal European Council meeting in Brussels. The 27 EU heads of state and government plan to talk about all aspects of European defence at the meeting, such as closer cooperation between the EU and NATO, and transatlantic relations. The goal of the meeting is to engage in an initial detailed discussion on these issues. 

The key points from the statement:

• Security and defence: Security and defence must be reinforced, the Federal Chancellor stressed, so it was good that EU member states were going to discuss how they could contribute to this, including in the context of NATO. “We need concrete agreements with regard to our defence industry. Closer cooperation must be possible, free from the constraints of competition rules.”  
• Economic matters: The EU had to ensure that it was at the forefront of future-oriented developments such as Artificial Intelligence, without neglecting traditional industries such as steel, chemicals and the automotive sector, Scholz said. Future cooperation with the USA would also be discussed, he added, pointing out that this should primarily be based on cooperation, but that action would be taken if necessary.  
• Migration: A European solution was always the best option, Federal Chancellor Scholz said, also in connection with issues of irregular migration, as the successful agreement on a joint European asylum system had shown. This new arrangement was very much in the interest of Germany, said Scholz, adding that it was important for Germany to quickly approve the necessary legislation currently under review in the Bundestag.

Watch the video of the Federal Chancellor's statement here: 

You can read a transcript here (only German).