PARIS, MAR 27 (AFP/APP/DNA):French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday was hosting European leaders including President Volodymyr Zelensky for a summit aimed at boosting Ukrainian security ahead of any potential ceasefire with Russia to end the over three-year war.
The meeting is seeking to set out what security guarantees Europe can offer Ukraine once a ceasefire deal is agreed, including the possible deployment of military forces by a so-called “coalition of the willing”.
Twenty-seven heads of state and government are due to attend the Paris summit, which was getting underway with their arrival at the Elysee Palace where they were personally welcomed by Macron.
Macron is due to give a news conference in the afternoon summing up the discussions while other leaders including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Premier Keir Starmer are expected to hold their own briefings.
Key NATO member Turkey, currently under scrutiny due to protests at home, is due to be represented by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz.
Macron and Starmer have taken the lead in seeking to forge a coordinated European response to protecting Ukraine both during the current conflict and in its eventual aftermath after Donald Trump shook the world by opening direct negotiations with Russia.
As well as boosting Ukraine’s own armed forces, a key pillar of ensuring security and prevent any further Russian invasion could be deploying European troops to Ukraine although the modalities of this are far from clear.
The US “is playing a leading role by convening the ceasefire talks”, said Starmer, adding: “Zelensky has demonstrated his commitment repeatedly, and Europe is stepping up to play its part to defend Ukraine’s future.”
But he warned that so far Russian President Vladimir Putin “has shown he’s not a serious player in these peace talks” and that his “promises are hollow” on any eventual ceasefire with Ukraine.
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