European leaders to hold emergency summit on Ukraine as Trump peace push leaves them isolated
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European Leaders Call Urgent Summit on Ukraine
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Above: Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron at Chequers on Jan. 9, 2025, in Aylesbury, England. Image copyright: Toby Melville/WPA-Pool/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
French Pres. Emmanuel Macron has called an emergency summit of European leaders — likely to be held in Paris on Monday — following US Pres. Donald Trump's announcement of peace talks with Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin over Ukraine.
The summit will reportedly discuss Trump's plan to exclude Europe from the negotiating table for peace in Ukraine, NATO membership and European security guarantees for Ukraine, and Europe's greater role in NATO.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly plans to attend the summit, which Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski announced at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
The Spin
Narrative A
Europe can't accept being sidelined from negotiations that will reshape the continent's security architecture. Europe's exclusion from peace talks undermines the alliance's unity and threatens to weaken the collective response to Russian aggression. A stronger Europe and independent defense capabilities are essential for maintaining regional security.
Narrative B
It's been three years, and the Ukraine-Russia war hasn't ended — because previous peace talks failed due to the involvement of too many parties. Trump's approach represents a practical path to peace as a streamlined process with direct US-Russia dialogue offers the best chance for ending the conflict.
