(VOVworld) – EU leaders gathered in Brussels on Thursday for the 2-day winter summit, focused on investments, economic growth, job generation, and the situation in Ukraine.

European Council President Donald Tusk chairs his first meeting with EU leaders on Thursday in Brussels.

This was the last summit of the year and the first one chaired by new European Council President Donald Tusk since taking over the EU helm on the first of December. On the eve of the summit, EC President Jean-Claude Juncker called on EU leaders to finance member countries which have been suffering from the economic downturn to boost their growth.
Earlier Juncker announced a detailed plan to loan 315 billion EUR from the private sector over 3 years to foster investment within the EU. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said the EU is ready to upgrade its partnership with Ukraine. She noted that the EU will provide financial support and send advisors to Ukraine to help Kiev make reforms and reach a peace deal based on the ceasefire agreement signed in Minsk in September.