European leaders reaffirmed their collective commitment to Ukraine on Monday, pledging continued solidarity in the face of Russia's invasion, though they fell short of offering any enhanced security assurances that could have a tangible impact amidst ongoing efforts by Donald Trump to initiate diplomatic negotiations with Russia.
President Trump's announced plan to broker a deal to end the three-year conflict in the near future has caused significant concerns among European leaders and raised worries that it could result in concessions unfavorable to Ukraine and leave the continent exposed to Russian expansionist ambitions.
The White House has sent a survey to European allies inquiring, among other things, if they are willing to send peacekeeping troops to the war-torn country.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously expressed his willingness to consider this scenario. On Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated he was prepared to do the same, provided the US would offer a "backstop."
"I'm prepared to consider deploying British forces on the ground alongside others if a lasting peace agreement is reached. However, a US guarantee of security is necessary because it's the only way to effectively prevent Russia from attacking Ukraine again," Starmer stated at the conclusion of an emergency summit in Paris.
We must acknowledge the dawn of a new era and refrain from clinging to the familiar comforts of the past. It is time for us to take ownership of our security and our continent's well-being.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that her country was "open-minded" to the peacekeeping idea, but she also noted that there were "a lot of questions" that required answers.
One very crucial point is how the Americans will perceive these issues," she said. "Will they provide support to Europeans if troops are deployed?
Frederiksen stated that a "ceasefire is not automatically peace and it's not automatically lasting peace" and called on European nations to "increase their support" to Ukraine, placing the country in the "best possible" position for future negotiations.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that any discussion about peacekeepers is "completely premature" and "highly inappropriate" at this time, considering the ongoing war's extreme brutality.
"I'm actually a bit frustrated with these discussions," Scholz said after stepping out of the meeting.
Scholz expressed enthusiasm for the prospect of peace talks but cautioned against imposing a "dictated peace" on Ukraine. He emphasized the importance of preserving a unified Western front against the Kremlin. Alliances have been unsettled by the White House's recent hints that it might soon start withdrawing American troops from European soil.
"There should be no division of security and responsibility between Europe and the US, and this is the foundation on which NATO is built - that we always act together and share the same level of risk, and that we ensure our security through this," Scholz said.
That point should be taken as a given. It's essential we remember that.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized that any agreement between Ukraine and Russia should not "repeat the mistakes of the past" and permit Vladimir Putin to annex foreign territory again in the future. Sánchez stated that efforts to restore peace must also strengthen the European project and the global system of international relations.
"We still don't have the conditions to consider this option," Sánchez said when asked if Spain would commit to deploying troops. "Any security guarantees would have to be a collective responsibility of all allies," he added.
Before the meeting, his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, had stated that Polish troops would not be sent to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping mission. Poland leads NATO in defence spending as a percentage of GDP and has received positive feedback from the Trump administration.
"We have no intention of sending Polish soldiers to Ukraine, but we will provide support, including logistical and political backing, to countries that might want to offer such guarantees in the future," Tusk said before leaving for Paris.
Emergency summit
A meeting took place in Paris, organized by Macron, and also attended by Giorgia Meloni of Italy, Dick Schoof of the Netherlands, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, António Costa, the European Council president, and Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary general.
"We reaffirmed today in Paris that Ukraine deserves peace through strength, a peace that respects its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and provides strong security guarantees," von der Leyen and Costa said in a joint statement.
Europe bears its full responsibility for the military aid to Ukraine. At the same time, we need an increase in defense capabilities in Europe.
The summit took place as a response to the phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin last week, in which both leaders agreed to initiate negotiations to end the conflict "immediately". This conversation marked a significant break in the West's three-year-long effort to diplomatically isolate Putin, who has been accused of committing war atrocities, and sparked a swift reaction of discontent from European nations, who saw it as an exclusion from the diplomatic process.
The US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, later confirmed that Europe would be involved in the negotiations, but would not have a direct seat at the table. Kellogg stated he was working at the pace of the US President and that a draft deal was expected to be ready within a matter of "days and weeks."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he would not accept "deals made behind our backs without our involvement" and advocated for Europe's participation in the talks. Russia, however, prefers to keep Europeans out of the negotiations.
I'm unsure what they should do at the negotiating table. If they plan to use underhanded tactics to propose a temporary ceasefire, while secretly intending to continue the conflict, then why invite them to the talks?
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, who is currently under EU sanctions, is expected to hold a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia. This will be the first in-person meeting between EU and Russian officials since the phone call between Trump and Putin. Rubio will be accompanied by US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The US-Russia talks "will produce no results," Zelenskyy said during a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAB). He plans to travel to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
The rapid pace of negotiations has heightened tensions in Europe and prompted a surge in diplomatic activity aimed at demonstrating a united front and renewed resolve.
The Trump administration has made it clear that it expects Europe to bear the majority of the financial and military burden for future support to Ukraine. Europe has indicated its willingness to take on a more substantial role while maintaining the Western defense line that was established in the initial stages of the invasion.
This article outlines the mutual defense commitments of NATO member states.