Reeling from shocks delivered by the Trump administration last week, European leaders held emergency talks in Paris on Monday as US and Russian officials prepare to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss ending the war in Ukraine – without European or Ukrainian involvement.

European leaders meeting in Paris on Monday for emergency talks called for higher defense spending to ramp up the continent's defense capabilities but remained divided on the possible deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine to back up any peace deal.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said, following the summit of European leaders in Paris, that Europe is ready to take a leading role in providing security guarantees to Ukraine. Source: Mark Rutte on X (Twitter),