France and Allies Plan Informal Summit on Ukraine's Future
MUNICH (Reuters) - France is discussing with its allies holding an informal summit of European leaders to discuss Ukraine, a French presidency official said on Saturday, and four European diplomats said the meeting was likely to go ahead on Monday.
Speaking on a panel at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski also said that French President Emmanuel Macron had called for a summit of European leaders in Paris.
"President Trump has a method of operating, which the Russians call reconnaissance through battle. You push and you see what happens, and then you change your position, legitimate tactics. And we need to respond," Sikorski said.
Following pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to end the war in Ukraine, Europe's focus is shifting to what concrete role it can play in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, as well as how to strengthen Europe’s collective security.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called on Saturday for the creation of a European army, saying the continent could no longer be sure of protection from the United States.
The four diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said discussions were continuing about who should be invited to any summit. Two of them said non-EU member Britain had been invited.
The Dutch news agency reported that Prime Minister Dick Schoof would go to Paris on Monday for the summit.
It was unclear whether Volodymr Zelenskiy would be invited.
(Reporting by John Irish and Alan Charlish; Editing by Gareth Jones and Barbara Lewis)
