European leaders gathered in Paris on Monday for emergency talks to discuss Ukraine’s defence needs but left the meeting without making any binding decisions ahead of critical negotiations scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia. The summit, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, was mainly as a consultation forum for European leaders to explore defence strategies. There were no immediate commitments made on issues such as peacekeeping deployments.
The focus of the discussion was the need for increased defence spending across Europe, though opinions were divided on the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized that the talks were not about making final decisions. “This was a forum for consultation; no binding decisions were made,” he explained. He further underscored that the security of Ukraine is intrinsically tied to the security of Europe itself. “Peace in Ukraine and European security are two sides of the same coin,” Sanchez remarked.
The meeting followed an announcement from US. President Donald Trump, who revealed plans to hold bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, excluding European allies and Ukraine from the negotiations. Ahead of the Paris summit, Macron and Trump held a call, but no concrete actions were decided. A European official noted, “We align with President Trump’s peace through strength approach, but there’s a need for solid security guarantees for Ukraine, with US backing.”
The question of sending peacekeeping troops was a point of contention, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaling openness to deploying forces but stating that any such action would require US involvement. “We can’t commit to sending troops until we have clarity on U.S. support,” Starmer said.
Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed the notion of a German-led peacekeeping mission, stressing that no peace deal could be made without Ukraine’s consent. “Any talks of peacekeepers are premature until we have a peace agreement,” Scholz stated.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also voiced skepticism, saying that deploying European forces in Ukraine would be one of the most complex and potentially ineffective measures.
As European leaders debated, a high-stakes meeting in Saudi Arabia between US and Russian officials was set to begin on Tuesday. This marks the first in-person discussions between the two nations in years, focused on potential paths to peace. Despite European calls for inclusion, Russia has insisted the talks remain strictly bilateral. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, “If the goal is to continue the war, then there is no point in including European allies in these talks.”
“Any peace agreement must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, adding that Europe must further enhance its own defence capabilities.
As discussions unfold in Riyadh, European officials remain wary of the consequences of a rushed peace deal. The outcome of the upcoming US-Russia talks will be crucial in shaping the next phase of diplomatic efforts, with European leaders keenly watching how the discussions progress.