Informal Summit takes place on Monday in Paris
French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to discuss “European security,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed.
The summit was confirmed by the Elisha Palace, which said French President Emmanuel Macron would hold a “informal” meeting on Monday with “the heads of government of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark , as well as the president of the European Council [António Costa]the President of the European Commission [Ursula von der Leyen] and the secretary general of NATO [Mark Rutte]”. Portugal was not invited to this meeting.
This meeting will take place the day after the Munich Security Conference (Germany), marked by a hostile speech by US Vice President Jd Vance against the European Union, who accused not respecting “freedom of expression”, and confirmation that Americans were considering negotiations about Ukraine without Europeans.
This Sunday, Macron spoke on the phone with the heir prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. During the call, they discussed the role of Saudi Arabia in a possible peace agreement for Ukraine and the way Europe should play a key role in this process.
“We have no lessons to receive,” Barrot told France Inter regarding freedom of expression, adding, “We have to get rid of the inferiority complexes,” “we will not be intimidated.”
“We will not accept interference of any kind,” he emphasized. A week before German legislative elections, he considered Jd Vance’s comments, criticizing the sanitary cord of traditional German political parties against the far right AFD, such as “obviously unacceptable.” “We will protect our democracy and our public debate, these are our most precious, even if fragile goods,” Barrot said.
About Ukraine, he reiterated that “only Ukrainians can decide to stop fighting.” “We will support them until they make that decision,” he said. Ukrainians “will never stop until they are sure that the peace offered will be lasting” and have the guarantee of security, he added. “Who will give the guarantees? It will be the Europeans,” Barrot repeated, stressing that “yes, the Europeans will be in one way or another involved in the discussions” to end the war in Ukraine.
Europe has been striving to react after US President Donald Trump announced the “immediate” beginning of negotiations to end the conflict following a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the envoy From Trump to Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg said that Europe would not be involved.
At the meeting, the defense capabilities will be discussed that Europe can provide to give Ukraine credible safety guarantees, including a plan for Ukraine’s automatic adhesion to NATO in the event of a clear violation of Russia’s ceasefire.
