European leaders are to discuss efforts by the United States to cut Europe out of coming talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, at an emergency summit in Paris on Monday.
Comments by senior US officials suggesting Europe would not be part of future negotiations on the war has sparked alarm in EU capitals, over fears Ukraine may be forced into a deal that undermines its future security and emboldens Russia.
French president Emmanuel Macron is gathering a small group of European leaders for an emergency summit on Monday to consider how to respond to moves by the White House to quickly end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
German chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK prime minister Keir Starmer, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk will attend the meeting, as well as the leaders of Spain, Denmark and the Netherlands. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Nato chief Mark Rutte will also travel for the crisis talks.
US-Ukraine ties sour as leaders trade ‘dictator’ and ‘disinformation’ barbs
Ireland would consider sending peacekeepers to Ukraine in event of ceasefire, Taoiseach indicates
America divided: Musk and Trump on Fox News, Sanders on CNN
France and UK plan air power-backed ‘reassurance force’ in postwar Ukraine
The hastily arranged summit comes as US president Donald Trump is expected to significantly ramp up pressure on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to strike a deal with Russian president Vladimir Putin, which may involve Kyiv giving up territory currently held by Russian forces.
Mr Trump’s Russia-Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, suggested Europe would ultimately be excluded from negotiations to end the Ukraine war. When asked if Europe should have a seat at the table in the talks alongside the US, Russia and Ukraine, the senior adviser said: “I think that’s not going to happen”.
The informal summit of European leaders at the Élysée Palace will discuss potential options to guarantee Ukraine’s future security from another Russian invasion, in the event of a peace deal. The leaders will also debate what the security implications of any settlement would be for Europe.
Senior US and Russian officials are to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, for talks to start working towards a deal to end the Ukraine war. Secretary of state Marco Rubio is reported to be among the US delegation travelling for the preliminary talks.
Ukraine has said it will not be railroaded into any unfavourable deal to end its war with Russia. Aides to Mr Zelenskiy insisted the Ukrainian president had staunchly defended his country’s interests during a tumultuous security conference in Munich at the weekend. Kyiv would stand up to the Kremlin and Washington in the coming efforts to end Europe’s biggest war in 80 years, Ukrainian officials said.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Munich conference, Taoiseach Micheál Martin rejected a suggestion made by Mr Zelenskiy advocating a joint European army.
The Fianna Fáil leader said a European army “isn’t on the agenda”. The view was echoed by other EU governments.
“What Ukraine requires is security guarantees in the event of Russia trying to invade again in a few years’ time if there was an imperfect peace,” Mr Martin said.
The US provides huge levels of military and financial support to Ukraine which, alongside aid and weapons from European allies, has been crucial in helping the country resist Russia’s invading forces over the last three years. There is concern that Mr Trump could threaten to cut off the flow of US military aid if Mr Zelenskiy does not agree to a proposed settlement with Russia.
Dr von der Leyen, the head of the EU’s executive arm, is expected to argue for Europe to be party to any settlement talks during a meeting she is scheduled to have with Mr Kellogg on Tuesday in Brussels.
