BRUSSELS

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday discussed the broader impact of developments in the Middle East, focusing on energy prices, energy security, and the availability of critical defense materials.

In a phone call, the two leaders exchanged views on how escalating tensions in the region could affect global energy markets and Europe’s energy stability, according to a European Commission statement.

They also addressed concerns over the potential strain on supply chains for much-needed defense materials, amid ongoing support efforts for Ukraine.

The leaders underlined their "shared priority" to swiftly conclude the adoption of the Ukraine Support Loan and the EU's 20th package of sanctions, reaffirming continued coordination in response to evolving geopolitical challenges.

Recently, due to opposition from Hungary and Slovakia, the new sanctions package could not move forward, even though it had been agreed upon by the EU Council.

Brussels previously said that work is continuing and that the commission is closely engaged with the Hungarian and Slovak sides.

The EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas did not rule out using frozen Russian assets to advance the package, a solution that has previously been opposed by several member states, including Belgium, where Euroclear, which holds a large share of the Russian assets, is based.