EU leaders to send Trump 'clear message' on Ukraine at summit – Reuters
Photo: EU will send Trump a clear signal on Ukraine (Getty Images)
European Union leaders at the summit intend to send a "clear signal" to US President-elect Donald Trump regarding their continued support for Ukraine. In addition, they plan to discuss security and economic challenges related to his return to the White House, Reuters reports.
According to the draft conclusions, the leaders will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the start of the talks in Brussels and reaffirm their "unwavering commitment" to supporting Ukraine "for as long as it takes."
Trump has repeatedly called for the nearly three-year war to end as soon as possible. On December 16, he stated that Zelenskyy should be ready to reach a peace agreement with Vladimir Putin, though he did not specify whether this means Kyiv conceding territory to Moscow as part of a negotiated settlement.
Currently, Russian troops occupy nearly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory and are making steady advances in the eastern regions of the country.
"Russia must not prevail," the EU draft conclusions state, adding that no initiative regarding Ukraine should take place without Kyiv's involvement.
An EU diplomat described the draft text as sending a "clear signal to the US."
During lunch, the leaders will also discuss broader EU-US relations amid fears of a potential transatlantic trade war.
Trump has declared that the EU will "pay a big price" in tariffs for not purchasing enough US exports. He has already pledged to impose high tariffs on the three largest US trading partners — Canada, Mexico, and China. The EU is aware that it could also be affected.
Unity
Some EU diplomats stated that the key to strengthening the bloc will be unity and preventing Washington from holding discussions or making deals with individual EU member states — replicating its overall successful single-strategy approach with the United Kingdom during Brexit negotiations.
"The US might try individual negotiations, but so far, I have not seen countries falling for that," one EU diplomat said.
The EU will aim to demonstrate that it is the US's second-largest trading partner and a close ally with shared values. However, mindful of Trump's concerns about the US trade deficit, EU officials have discussed the possibility of offering to purchase more American LNG or weapons.
During the lunchtime debates on the topic "EU in the world," discussions will also likely cover China and whether the bloc will be forced to take sides in the trade conflict between the US and China. The agenda may also touch on the United Kingdom, which has expressed a desire to restore relations with the EU and is seen by the bloc as a critical security ally.
As reported earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is currently in Brussels, where the EU leaders' summit is taking place.
