The

informal European Council kicks off at

Prague Castle .

On the table of leaders Ukraine, energy and the economy in the perspective of the impact of energy prices on households and businesses.

After the speech by the President of the European Parliament,

Roberta Metsola

, and the family photo, the floor is now to the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, for an information point on critical infrastructures after the explosions at the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

Leaders will discuss the energy crisis and related challenges that require shared tools and swift European solutions.

"Now is the time to discuss how we can limit energy prices and Putin's manipulation", said the president of the European Commission,

Ursula von der Leyen,

speaking to the press upon her arrival at the informal European Council in Prague. "There will be no decisions today, it is an informal Council but it is preparation for the formal October Council," he said.

The objective, in view of

the European Council

of 20-21 October, is to ensure that the EU gives univocal, effective and supportive responses between the Member States in the face of growing Russian threats and energy speculation.

In order to mitigate the impact of energy prices, Italy, together with 14 other Member States, shared the need to adopt a ceiling on the price of natural gas on European markets, suitable for restoring the proper functioning of the gas market the costs of which also affect those of electricity and inflation in general. 

The president of the European Commission said she was

"confident"

that the leaders of the Twenty-seven will come "to a good conclusion" in the discussion on the gas price ceiling, which, he said, will register today "an important first step", in view of the decisions that will be taken at the end of October.

"The Russian war - recalled the president of the Commission - has an impact on the world economy mainly through energy prices and the shortage of supplies. We will discuss this today. Energy prices - she continued - are skyrocketing: if we look at the last seven months we can see that Russia has deliberately and systematically cut off gas supplies to the EU. But we have been able to compensate with gas stocks, which we have filled to 90%, and this is very positive. 

In addition, "we have been able to tax the

extra profits"

of energy companies "to support those who need them".

"Now - noted von der Leyen - we are well prepared: we have a first line of protection for our market. Now we must discuss how to limit price peaks and Putin's manipulations of energy prices. This will be the discussion on price. today's cap: the question is where and how to apply it, and this will be one of the "important points" in the confrontation between leaders.

"A second important point - added the President of the Commission - is the single market", or "equal conditions", or the level playing field within it so that all companies have the same opportunities to participate in the market, and that they can compete for quality, but not for subsidies ".

Von der Leyen then mentioned the "

REpowerEU" package again

on investments to accelerate the achievement of energy independence from Russia, which the Commission proposed in May.

In his letter to the leaders on the eve of the summit on Wednesday, he had already announced that "the Commission will examine complementary sources of funding to increase the firepower of REpowerEU". 

With the heads of state and government, today, he explained, "we will discuss its

'governance' structure,

how we can enhance it, so that member states can support investment for business and industry, and make the transition in this energy crisis. "To a question about what improvements have taken place in recent months that now make it possible a decision on the gas price cap, the president of the commission replied: "In our communication from the March I proposed the discussion on the 'price cap' in the wholesale gas market.

At that time the proposal did not have much follow-up, but we are now better prepared, the situation has evolved, and therefore the Member States are now willing to discuss the 'price cap', how and where to apply it.

We will discuss this, and I am confident - concluded von der Leyen - that we will arrive at a good conclusion ". 

Dutch Prime Minister

Mark Rutte

on twitter "The energy issue has our full attention and we are working to ensure a stable and affordable energy supply, which requires lower gas prices", reporting having had talks with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and with French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the informal European Council in Prague.

In Prague beyond energy and the price cap

For Turkey "

Finland

is not a problem" with regard to NATO enlargement.

You told the press this morning, upon her arrival at the informal European Council in Prague, the Finnish Prime Minister

Sanna Marin

, after having met the Turkish President

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

yesterday, also in Prague, at the first summit of the European Political Community.

If anything, the problem for Ankara is

Sweden

, the other country that asked for NATO membership, as was clear from Erdogan's statements last night.

"I discussed yesterday with President Erdogan on the ratification process in Turkey of the NATO enlargement: he told me - ah Marin reported - that Finland is not a problem. We have always been very consistent with regard to policies concerning Turkey".

With Turkey, the Finnish premier recalled, "we negotiated before the NATO summit in Madrid" at the end of June, "and we respect those agreements; we hope that Turkey will ratify our accession to NATO as soon as possible".

Marin then added that he "does not want to comment", the talks between Turkey which "also exist with Sweden".

Swedish Prime Minister

Magdalena Andersson,

he observed, "he knows the situation better than me. But I think it is very important - he stressed - that Sweden and Finland join NATO at the same time: it is a question - he concluded - that concerns the security of Northern Europe".

Erdogan last night, during the press conference at the end of the summit of the European Political Community, warned Stockholm that "as long as 'terrorist' organizations demonstrate on the streets in Sweden and 'terrorists' sit in the Swedish parliament, there will be no progress" on the accession of the country to NATO.

The Turkish government considers "terrorists" not only the militants of the PKK, the Kurdish workers party included in the EU list of terrorist organizations,

Hungarian Prime Minister

Viktor Orban

was booed by a squad of pro-Ukraine protesters who stood behind the barriers this morning in the square in front of the entrance to Prague Castle, where the informal European Council meets, with signs in favor of the effort war in Kiev.

Orban, who has good relations with the Kremlin, was booed and greeted with loud 'buuu' on his arrival.

In Prague, where Soviet tanks in 1968 abruptly put an end to

Alexander Dubcek's 'socialism with a human face',

the Ukrainian cause is quite popular: it is not difficult to see blue and yellow flags hanging from the facades of houses around the city. even outside some church.

(GettyImages)

Sanna Marin at the EU Summit at Prague Castle, Czech Republic