Emergency Meeting of European Leaders in Paris Under President Macron’s Leadership - Prepared to Provide Security Guarantees to Ukraine

Emergency Meeting of European Leaders in Paris Under President Macron’s Leadership - Prepared to Provide Security Guarantees to Ukraine

Paris, February 18 – European leaders have expressed their readiness to provide security guarantees to Ukraine and have warned that any ceasefire with Russia, without a peace agreement, would be dangerous.

In an emergency meeting held in Paris on Monday under French President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership, European leaders announced their preparedness to secure Ukraine’s safety. This meeting came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate an end to the war with Russia in Saudi Arabia, excluding European allies and Ukraine’s leadership from the discussions.

After the meeting, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte posted on social media, stating, "Europe is ready and willing. From today’s meeting, it’s clear. Europe is ready to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. However, the details of these matters need to be decided."

An EU official following the meeting noted that the leaders are "ready to provide security guarantees, but the specifics will be discussed with each party involved."

The official further added, "We believe that it would be dangerous to conclude a ceasefire without a peace agreement."

This urgent meeting was convened in light of the recent U.S. stance on Ukraine, which has created tension within the once-strong transatlantic alliance. Trump’s efforts to engage Russia in talks about Ukraine’s future have increased European concerns. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a conversation with Macron late Monday, stated that a weak ceasefire would pave the way for more aggressive actions from Russia, potentially leading to a new war against Ukraine or other European nations.

"We share a common vision: security guarantees must be strong and reliable," Zelenskyy posted on social media.

"Any other decision, such as a fragile ceasefire, would only serve as another deception by Russia and a prelude to a new Russian war against Ukraine or other European countries," he added.

Meanwhile, Melinda Haring, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, told Al Jazeera that Europe was surprised by the U.S. efforts regarding Russia. She said, "It’s very strange that the aggressor country is sitting down to negotiate with the U.S., excluding Ukraine."

Analysts are now concerned that discussions between Russia and the U.S. in the coming days could lead to a potentially contentious situation.