French President Emmanuel Macron called European leaders to Paris for an emergency summit on 17 February, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said at the Munich Security Conference.
“I’m very glad that President Macron has called our leaders to Paris,” Sikorski said during a panel discussion in Munich on 15 February. The meeting reportedly would focus on addressing challenges posed by US President Donald Trump.
Trump pushes for negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv to end the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Ukraine’s military allies in Brussels that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders was unrealistic and that NATO membership for Kyiv would not be part of a solution to the war. Ukraine, however, considers NATO membership the most reliable way to counter Russian aggression and avoid capitulating or ceding territory.
US President also said on 14 February that European countries must increase their financial contributions to Ukraine’s defense, criticizing Europe for not providing sufficient support to Kyiv.
Sikorski drew attention to Trump’s tactical approach. “President Trump has a method of operating which the Russians call razvedka boyem – reconnaissance through battle: You push and you see what happens, and then you change your position,” he said. “And we need to respond.”
Two EU officials confirmed the Monday meeting to reporters. The format and scope of attendance remain unclear. Questions persist about whether all EU leaders will participate and if non-EU leaders like British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will receive invitations.
A French spokesperson did not comment on the summit. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who shared the Munich panel with Sikorski, neither confirmed nor denied the meeting.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will attend the Paris gathering, Sikorski later announced on social media. “We need to show our strength and unity,” the foreign minister wrote.
Greek Foreign Ministry reported that the extraordinary convocation of European Foreign Ministers to be held in Munich on 16 February,
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