French President Emmanuel Macron convened world leaders at a defense summit in Paris to reaffirm Europe’s role in the Ukraine-Russia peace process. Over 30 leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, gathered to talk about Europe’s role in US-led ceasefire negotiations and military aid to Ukraine.
Military support and sanctions
Macron committed a €2 billion military aid package to Kyiv and proposed a European “reassurance force” to deter future aggression. While France and the UK are in favor of the plan, European backing is split. Greece and Italy are cautious on political and practical grounds.
Sanctions against Russia were also a major issue. European leaders agreed that premature easing of sanctions would be a mistake. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Zelenskyy stressed that any easing of sanctions must be done on the basis of clear Russian de-escalation. The EU is firm, insisting on unanimity before considering changes.
Europe’s struggle for influence
These aside, Europe has been excluded from ceasefire negotiations, the Trump administration wanting to negotiate directly with Russia and Ukraine. EU leaders argue that excluding Europe renders its security status weaker. In response, leaders are considering further defense expenditure and forming a coalition to obtain the assurance of Ukrainian security, but divisions within have slowed progress.
The path forward
Macron plans to bring Trump up to speed on the state of Europe and demand Russian assurances in any ceasefire deal. But while European capitals are still deliberating their strategy, the clock is ticking to secure a meaningful place at the table before a US-Russia-Ukraine deal is brokered without them.
