France Invites European Leaders for Informal Meeting
As the United States and Russia accelerate discussions on ending the war in Ukraine, Europe, which has been left out of the negotiation table, is busily seeking its place.
On the afternoon of the 17th (local time), French President Emmanuel Macron will hold an informal emergency meeting at the ?lys?e Palace, inviting leaders of major European countries.
Attending this meeting will be leaders from key European countries including Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark, as well as Ant?nio Costa, the President of the European Union (EU) Council, and Mark Rutte, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
This meeting was arranged belatedly after U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin unexpectedly agreed on negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The agenda is expected to include ways to reflect Europe's position in the negotiations and security guarantees for Ukraine in preparation against a possible Russian re-invasion.
The ?lys?e Palace stated in a press release that "the goal of the meeting is to discuss the situation in Ukraine and European security," adding that "it may be extended in other formats in the future and aims to bring together all partners interested in European peace and security."
On the 18th, the United States and Russia will hold a ministerial-level meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss the ceasefire negotiations. Attending this meeting will be U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, among other officials from both countries.
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