European leaders gathered for a critical meeting in Paris, an event that UK leader Keir Starmer described as a "once in a generation" moment for national security. Hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, the informal meeting brought together leaders from Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and key figures such as the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the Secretary General of NATO. Notably absent from this gathering were Ukrainian leaders, as discussions on Ukraine's future continue to unfold on different fronts.
While European leaders deliberated in Paris, the Trump administration announced its own set of negotiations with Russia, raising eyebrows across the Atlantic. Keith Kellogg, the Trump administration's Russia-Ukraine envoy, referred to the negotiations as a "dual track" approach and is scheduled to be in Kyiv this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made it clear that he would "never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia about Ukraine," emphasizing Ukraine's sovereignty in these discussions.
In a parallel development, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Ukrainians would indeed have a seat at the negotiation table. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz are on their way to Saudi Arabia for preliminary talks on Ukraine. Rubio described these talks with Russia as initial steps to assess Russia's seriousness in ending the conflict. He also indicated that both Ukraine and Europe would participate if negotiations progress favorably.
Starmer, writing in the Daily Telegraph, expressed his readiness to deploy British troops on Ukrainian soil to enforce a peace agreement if required. Meanwhile, Macron underscored Europe's pivotal role in fostering peace during a phone conversation with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A Saudi official confirmed to CNN that the kingdom would play a mediation role in these talks, further complicating the diplomatic landscape.
