Invitations to the meeting on Ukraine and European security, held at the Elysée Palace in Paris on Monday, February 17, were extended to just seven countries in Europe, prompting criticism from several European Union countries. In the Czech Republic and Romania, two countries strongly committed to supporting Ukraine, disappointment was particularly high, as President Emmanuel Macron gave priority to the leaders of the major Western European countries.

"New informal discussions, especially a week after the European Council and a few days before the German elections [on Sunday, February 23], lead nowhere," said Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala on Monday. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, this Central European country of 10 million people has been among the staunchest supporters of the Ukrainian war effort. In 2024, it launched a large-scale plan for the joint purchase of ammunition for Kyiv.

While it has a modest army, the Czech Republic could not understand why the Elysée invited only Poland among Ukraine's neighbors, "when no one has taken in more Ukrainian refugees per capita than we have," a source close to Fiala told Le Monde. They also spoke of the French president's "arrogance". Prague feels it is being treated by Europe as it is by Donald Trump – in other words, largely ignored.

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