Munich: French President Emmanuel Macron is set to convene European leaders, including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, for an emergency summit on Monday to address the ongoing war in Ukraine. The meeting comes in response to signals from U.S. officials suggesting that Europe may have no direct role in potential negotiations to end the conflict.
The French presidency announced on Sunday that Macron called for the “consultation talks” to discuss shifts in the U.S. approach to Ukraine and the resulting security implications for Europe.
Emmanuel Macron will host European leaders for an emergency summit on the Ukraine war after US officials suggested Europe would have no role in any talks on ending the conflict https://t.co/0SbKrqENv6 pic.twitter.com/iKafaSBEkq
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 16, 2025
Among those attending the summit are German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa.
The meeting follows a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump, who revealed last week that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin without prior consultation with European allies. Trump’s remarks, along with his intention to initiate a peace process, have raised concerns among European leaders about their role in future negotiations.
Adding to the unease, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, stated on Saturday that Europe would not be involved in peace talks, despite Washington having previously sought input from European capitals regarding security guarantees for Kyiv. According to a document seen by Reuters, the U.S. has also asked NATO allies what support they would require from Washington to participate in Ukraine’s security arrangements.
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The 27-member European Union has struggled to present a unified stance on the war, with numerous past summits exposing divisions and indecision over how to address Russia’s ongoing invasion. Some EU officials expressed frustration that Monday’s meeting is limited to select leaders rather than being an official EU summit.
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In response, the French presidency emphasized that the discussions could pave the way for broader formats, “with the objective of gathering all partners interested in peace and European security.”
