On February 16, France said it would hold a summit of European leaders on February 17 to discuss the war in Ukraine and European security. The meeting comes amid concerns in Europe about not being able to attend initial talks between Russia and the US on the conflict in Ukraine scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia on February 18.
" available President Macron will call up key European countries to discuss European security," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told France Inter radio.
The Elysee newspaper said that French President Emmanuel Macron held a meeting on February 17 with "the heads of the governments of Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the NATO Secretary General".
Six European diplomats told Reuters that the meeting was to consider what could be immediate support for Ukraine as well as consider how Europe could play a specific role in ensuring the security of Kiev while strengthening Europe's collective security.
Previously, on February 15, US President Donald Trump's special delegate to Ukraine Keith Kellogg informed that Europe will not be present at the peace negotiations table on Ukraine.
The announcement came after Washington sent a questionnaire to European capitals to ask how the parties could contribute to ensuring Kiev's security. In this questionnaire, there is a question about the number of troops that those countries can contribute to implementing the peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia.
BBC pointed out that in recent days, the Trump administration has stepped up action to end the conflict in Ukraine.
On February 12, Mr. Trump revealed that he had held phone talks with the Russian President, in which the two leaders agreed to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
On February 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would not agree to any peace agreement reached without the country's participation.
On February 14, at the Munich Security Conference, US Vice President J.D Vance criticized Europe for completely ignoring Ukraine.
On February 15, speaking at the conference, President Zelensky called for the establishment of a "European team". On the same day, the US announced that peace talks in Ukraine would be held in Saudi Arabia, Europe would be consulted but not participate in negotiations.
On February 16, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reassured that Ukraine and Europe will be a part of any "real negotiations" to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In an interview with CBS, Mr. Rubio noted that the negotiation process has not yet begun seriously and if the negotiations progress, Ukraine and other European countries will participate.
