European leaders to hold emergency meeting on Ukraine

European leaders are expected to gather in Paris next week for an emergency meeting on the war in Ukraine, amid growing concerns that the United States will leave the continent off the table in peace talks with Russia.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer - who is expected to attend the Paris meeting - said that "this is a rare moment in the history of our security" and that it is now clear that Europe must have a greater role in NATO, the BBC reports.

A spokesman for French President Emmanuel Macron told the AFP news agency that "talks are underway for a possible informal meeting."

This meeting is expected to be held after US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia said that European leaders will consult but will not participate in talks between the US and Russia on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump will send a team of senior US officials to Saudi Arabia to begin talks with Russia and Ukraine, US officials told various media outlets on Saturday.

Senior White House officials – including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and Middle East negotiator Steve Witkoff – will meet with Russian negotiators in the coming days in Saudi Arabia.

A Ukrainian official told Politico that this has caught Kiev by surprise and that there are no plans to send a delegation to Saudi Arabia so far.

Meanwhile, at the Munich Security Conference, NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Saturday that Europe must make "good proposals" for guaranteeing peace in Ukraine if it wants to be included in the US-led talks.

Rutte said he would travel to Paris on Monday to attend a meeting of European leaders, hosted by French President Macron.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and EU leaders have expressed their opposition to holding talks without the involvement of their negotiators.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called against a "quick solution" and a "dirty deal" to end the conflict, insisting that no peace agreement can be implemented without the involvement of Europe and Ukraine.

Addressing the Munich conference, Zelensky called on European countries to establish a joint army, in the event of a possible withdrawal of the United States and in the face of continued threats from Russia.

"The time has come, the European Armed Forces must be created," he said.

"If the Americans decide to leave, to limit their presence, it is not good, of course, it is dangerous," Zelensky said./ REL