"The EU condemns Iran’s attack against Israel," European Council President Charles Michel said in a post on the X social media platform.
"All efforts must be made to help bring stability to the region and avoid escalation," he added.
"We call on all parties to exercise utmost restraint," Michel also wrote, adding that the EU is committed to working with partners to end the crisis in Gaza.
"We feel it's very important to do everything to isolate Iran," Michel said on Wednesday, as cited by the Reuters news agency.
He added that the new sanctions against Iran would target companies involved in the production of drones and missiles, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for more help in defending his country against Russian attacks, according to reports.
"Here in Ukraine, in our part of Europe, unfortunately, we do not have the level of defence that we all saw in the Middle East a few days ago," Zelensky told the summit, after Israel and allies shot down most of the drones and missiles launched by Iran.
"It reflects our current key need – the need for air defence," he said, as cited by Reuters, repeating his call for speedier deliveries of Western weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.
Michel said in a post that EU leaders "discussed the latest developments in Ukraine" with Zelensky.
"We strongly condemn Russia’s attacks on critical infrastructure, in particular the energy sector," Michel wrote. "We must urgently provide air defence and speed up delivery of all military support, including ammunition."
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X: "If all the words that were said in the last years here in Brussels about common defence, could be changed into bullets and rocket launchers, Europe would have become the strongest power in the world. And the safest place."
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Photo: EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.
Thursday is day 785 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: Reuters, IAR, PAP, Reuters