PARIS: European leaders are gathering in Paris for informal discussions on Monday, as concerns grow over the direction of U.S. diplomacy on the Ukraine conflict.
A senior French official emphasized the urgency for Europe to strengthen its collective security efforts and present a more unified response.
The talks come days after U.S. President Donald Trump surprised NATO allies by revealing he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about launching a peace process for Ukraine without consulting European partners. Further adding to tensions, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, announced on Saturday that Europe would be excluded from direct participation in upcoming peace negotiations.
Despite Europe’s exclusion, Washington sent a six-point questionnaire to NATO capitals, asking what contributions they could make to security guarantees for Kyiv and what support they would need from the U.S. to participate in those arrangements.
The French official stressed that Europe must act more decisively and cohesively in the face of both the accelerating diplomatic efforts and shifting signals from Washington. The official acknowledged Europe’s struggle to maintain unity in previous summits and highlighted the importance of aligning efforts to resolve the war, now in its third year.
Attending the meeting are leaders from Germany, Italy, Britain, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark—representing Baltic and Nordic countries—along with top EU officials and NATO Secretary General.
The discussions will focus on potential security guarantees for Ukraine from both European and U.S. partners, though some EU members have expressed frustration over the limited guest list, noting that a full EU summit would have been more inclusive.
The French presidency, however, defended the smaller format, arguing it would help streamline future talks within the EU and NATO frameworks. “This meeting is a step toward building consensus, and everyone should eventually be part of the conversation,” the official said.
