Emergency meeting in Paris: What European officials to discuss and how Ukraine involved
Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron (Getty Images)
European leaders will gather in Paris today, February 17, at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss urgent security issues. The timing and topics of their discussions have been revealed, according to Le Monde and The Guardian.
The urgent meeting in Paris will begin at 04:00 PM local time (05:00 PM Kyiv time) at the Élysée Palace. According to a press release, the informal meeting on Ukraine and European security issues, chaired by Emmanuel Macron, will last from 04:00 PM to 09:00 pM.
"The president will bring together the main European countries tomorrow for discussions on European security," confirmed French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
According to the report, the French president expects ten EU and NATO leaders to attend the summit. Following statements from the Trump administration, officials plan to outline a European action plan.
EU leaders will also decide how to respond to the US request regarding the deployment of troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Barrot noted that "There is a wind of unity blowing over Europe," which is why European officials aim to develop a common stance.
The meeting will address the defense capabilities that Europe can provide to Ukraine to ensure reliable security guarantees after the war ends. According to The Guardian, discussions will include a plan for Ukraine’s automatic NATO membership in case Russia clearly violates the ceasefire.
After the summit, European leaders aim to expand discussions in other formats to unite all partners interested in peace and security in Europe.
However, the summit has faced criticism even before it begins. On Monday, the Hungarian government labeled the planned meeting in France, which includes a dozen EU and NATO leaders, as "pro-military." According to Budapest, European officials are "escalating" the conflict with this gathering instead of supporting Trump's position.
Meanwhile, Romania and Czechia expressed disappointment over not being invited to the Paris summit organized by Macron.
French President Emmanuel Macron initiated the emergency summit of European leaders in Paris in response to the challenges posed to Europe by US President Donald Trump. Specifically, leaders aim to discuss the statements and demands they heard from US administration representatives during the Munich Security Conference.
Many European leaders were alarmed or outright outraged by US Vice President J.D. Vance’s remarks. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the American official’s comments "unacceptable."
