Ottawa: President Lee Jae Myung held a meeting with leaders of the European Union (EU) on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in Canada on Tuesday, the presidential office said. Lee met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, marking their first talks since he took office on June 4.

According to Yonhap News Agency, in a joint statement, Von der Leyen and Costa congratulated Lee on his election victory and highlighted "closer than ever" relations between South Korea and the EU "in all areas." They expressed a commitment to work closely under their Security and Defence Partnership, citing shared challenges. The leaders emphasized their mutual support for a free and sovereign Ukraine and their backing of tough sanctions on Russia to that end.