How do you influence negotiations when you're not involved in them? This is the question Europeans have been trying to answer as Washington and Moscow discuss Kyiv's future without involving them in the process. At the same time, they must also try to provide for their own security without American help, something that some of them, starting with the Baltics, Poland and the Scandinavian countries, would never have imagined having to do until recently.
On Monday, February 24, from Kyiv to Washington, via Brussels, the Europeans pulled out all the stops to present a united front, despite the brutal changes that Donald Trump's return to the White House has promised. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, her counterpart on the European Council António Costa and several heads of state and government made the trip to the Ukrainian capital to assure their host of their support, on this third anniversary of the Russian invasion. French President Emmanuel Macron met Trump in Washington, while the foreign ministers of the 27 member states met in Brussels.
The latter adopted the 16th package of sanctions against Moscow. They believe that by further stifling the Russian economy, they will weaken President Vladimir Putin. The 27 member states "broadly support the principle of further military aid to Ukraine," said Kaja Kallas, Europe's top representative for foreign affairs. France recently sent its first Mirage aircraft, and several capitals have been trying to mobilize new resources to help strengthen the Ukrainian army. At the EU level, the heads of state and government will discuss what can be done at an emergency summit to be held in Brussels on March 6.
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