French President Emmanuel Macron will brief fellow EU leaders on Wednesday, February 26, on his talks with US President Donald Trump, ahead of an emergency summit on European support for Ukraine. Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council representing the bloc's 27 member states, announced on X he had convened a videoconference with Macron to prepare for the March 6 leaders' talks.
Despite a veneer of cordiality, the transatlantic rift over Ukraine was on display during Macron's talks with Trump on Monday – the third anniversary of Russia's invasion. The French leader warned at the White House afterward that peace cannot mean the "surrender" of Ukraine. "We want a quick deal but not a fragile one," said Macron, who insisted any settlement must include US security guarantees for Kyiv – to prevent any future Russian assault.
In parallel, the United States sided with Russia in two votes at the United Nations Monday to avoid condemning Moscow's campaign against Ukraine – a seismic shift from the stance of the previous US administration. Europe has scrambled for a unified response since Trump two weeks ago declared his readiness to negotiate with Russia – and without European involvement – on ending the three-year-old Ukraine war.
Trump's embrace of Russia has sparked fears that it could herald the end of US support for Kyiv and a major change in attitude toward the rest of Europe. Next week's talks in Brussels will focus on supporting Kyiv and bolstering Europe's defenses after Trump's opening to Moscow – at what Costa called "a defining moment for Ukraine and European security."