French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new summit on Ukraine to be held Wednesday in Paris, bringing together European leaders, including Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to discuss the ongoing war and Europe’s collective response.
According to French diplomatic sources, participants include heads of state and government from Greece, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Belgium, Czech Republic, the Baltic states, Norway, and Canada, with some leaders joining via video link, including the Greek PM. Macron is expected to consult with all EU leaders by the end of the week.
Mitsotakis Stresses European Unity in Defense
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, addressing a European People’s Party (EPP) emergency teleconference Tuesday morning, emphasized the need for Europe to speak with one voice on defense matters. He welcomed the EC President von der Leyen’s proposal to activate the escape clause for defense investments and called for EU-wide defense funding that extends beyond national budgets.
Mitsotakis highlighted the need for cohesive European action in response to the war in Ukraine, emphasizing that Europe must present a unified front and that selective leadership discussions do not serve this goal.
Macron: From Ceasefire to “Full Peace”
In remarks following the previous summit, President Macron stressed that the goal is not merely a ceasefire but “full peace” with guarantees of security, political stability, and socio-economic conditions in Ukraine.
Macron noted that France will not send ground troops to Ukraine but left open the possibility of France and the UK deploying forces in the future as security guarantees for Kyiv, should a peace agreement with Moscow materialize. An alternative, he said, would be Ukraine’s NATO accession.
The French President also acknowledged the potential usefulness of negotiations between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, adding that while “strategic ambiguity might pressure Putin, lasting peace requires Ukraine’s presence at the negotiating table.”
French President Emmanuel Macron, European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen react following a meeting with European leaders on Ukraine and European security at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, February 17, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor
No Decision on European Security Without Europe
Following the initial Paris summit, European leaders agreed that no solution for Ukraine can proceed without Ukraine itself and that no European security decisions should be made without European involvement. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to NATO unity, particularly the transatlantic alliance with the United States.
Macron described Putin’s Russia as an “existential threat to Europe”, citing military activities near Poland, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and attempts to influence European elections, including in Romania.
Path Forward: Sustainable Peace and Increased Defense Spending
The European leaders reached a consensus on the need for a sustainable peace agreement based on security guarantees for Kyiv. They also expressed a shared intention to increase defense spending, both individually and within the EU framework.
Participants stressed that any ceasefire must coincide with a comprehensive peace deal, and some indicated readiness to provide security guarantees depending on the level of U.S. support. The leaders also endorsed the “peace through strength” approach championed by the United States, encouraging Trump not to ease pressure on Russia.
Source: tovima.com
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