This informal mini-summit, which will take place at the residence of the Secretary General of NATO, will be an opportunity to discuss, at the highest level, the “next steps”, after more than a thousand days of conflict in Ukraine, indicated Tuesday the head of the Italian government Giorgia Meloni. Mark Rutte, who took office at the beginning of October, wants to bring together the “most resolute” European allies in their support for kyiv in order to consolidate reflection on two subjects: how to approach the new Trump administration, and what more can be done for Ukraine?, summarizes a diplomat in Brussels.
Leaders expected. In addition to the Italian leader, the head of the Polish government Donald Tusk and the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are expected. French President Emmanuel Macron was initially expected to be present, but his departure for Mayotte, a French archipelago in the Indian Ocean devastated by Cyclone Chido, could call his participation into question. Great Britain will be represented by its Foreign Minister David Lammy and the European Union by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.
Europeans are worried about the possibility of a suspension of American military aid to Ukraine and Donald Trump’s promises to end the war “in 24 hours”. In this context, Ukraine is now raising the possibility of peace negotiations, which it has long rejected, on condition that its security is guaranteed. Mr. Zelensky thus called on Tuesday for “a lasting peace” in Ukraine that Russian President Vladimir Putin “can no longer break”. And the only way for the Ukrainian president to guarantee it is for Ukraine to join NATO to benefit from its protection.
Uncertainty. This “irreversible” perspective, according to NATO, is however not current and the idea is necessary to offer other security guarantees. France and Poland discussed sending troops to Ukraine last week in Warsaw to secure a possible ceasefire. The discussion is progressing, but it is still difficult given the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s future proposals, underlines a European diplomat. The aim is therefore above all “to make Ukraine as strong as possible before possible negotiations”, according to a source close to the German government.
The idea is to confirm “the common line of action” between Europeans, while maintaining “close coordination on the next steps to be accomplished”, underlined Ms Meloni. And for the Ukrainian president, the urgency is to obtain more weapons allowing him to change the situation on the battlefield. He said Tuesday his country needed 12 to 15 additional air defense systems to protect against constant strikes by Russian forces against its cities and energy infrastructure. “It’s doable. The main factor is political will,” he said. The Russian army claimed on Tuesday the conquest of 189 Ukrainian localities in 2024, and is making further progress every day.
Olivier BAUBE
© Agence France-Presse
