Morning opening: Make Europe Relevant Again
Jakub Krupa
After a brutal awakening about the state of the transatlantic alliance over the weekend, key European leaders are meeting in Paris today to figure out what to do next.
They will not be necessarily looking how to Make Europe Great Again, as JD Vance claims he would have want them to, but how to Make Europe Relevant Again in the looming talks about Ukraine’s future.
Hastily convened by French president Emmanuel Macron, the talks with see key regional leaders try to path a way forward outside the formal structures of the European Union, and without the risk of being sabotaged by the likes of Viktor Orbán.
Macron is expected to be joined by Germany’s Scholz, Italy’s Meloni, Poland’s Tusk, Denmark’s Frederiksen (representing the Nordic-Baltic Eight), Spain’s Sanchez, the Netherlands’ Schoof and EU leaders in Commission president von der Leyen and Council president Costa.
The meeting will discuss what defence capabilities Europe could provide to give Ukraine credible security guarantees, including a plan for Ukraine to be given automatic Nato membership in the event of a clear ceasefire breach by Russia.
But there is no hiding from the fact that the Paris summit will be taking place just as US officials will be prepping to meet with Russian counterparts in the Saudi capital of Riyadh to discuss some of the issues at hand – without any Ukrainians or Europeans attending.
If Europe wants to put itself back in this conversation, there is not much time left to do this before it is too late, with potentially devastating consequences for the security order that kept us safe since 1945.
Pas de pression, Paris.
It’s Monday, 17 February 2024, and this is Europe Live. It’s Jakub Krupa here.
Good morning.
Key events
Sweden does not rule out sending troops to Ukraine
Swedish foreign minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told public radio Sveriges Radio that the country would not rule out sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine if necessary.
“We must first now negotiate a fair and sustainable peace that respects international law… When we have such a peace in place, it will need to be maintained and for that our government is not ruling out anything,” she said.
UK prepared to send troops to Ukraine, Starmer says
Keir Starmer has said he is prepared to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine if there is a deal to end the war with Russia – acknowledging it could put UK forces “in harm’s way” if Vladimir Putin launches another attack.
It is understood to be the first time the prime minister has explicitly stated he is considering deploying British peacekeepers to Ukraine. The comments came just before emergency talks with European leaders in Paris on Monday.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph (£), he said the UK was “ready to play a leading role” in Ukraine’s defence and security, including the commitment of £3bn a year until 2030. Starmer said that along with military aid, “it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary”.
“I do not say that lightly. I feel very deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting British servicemen and women in harm’s way,” Starmer said.
“But any role in helping to guarantee Ukraine’s security is helping to guarantee the security of our continent, and the security of this country.
Paris talks on Ukraine, European security – context
The Paris meeting will aim to outline a European action plan after days of chaotic briefing by the Trump administration. The summit will also need to decide how to respond to a request by the US to spell out whether leaders are prepared to commit troops to a stabilisation force in the event of a ceasefire.
Confirming the Paris meeting, France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, told France Inter radio on Sunday: “The president will bring together the main European countries tomorrow for discussions on European security.” He said there was a wind of unity blowing through.
It will discuss what defence capabilities Europe could provide to give Ukraine credible security guarantees, including a plan for Ukraine to be given automatic Nato membership in the event of a clear ceasefire breach by Russia. The US has said there must be devastating consequences for any side that breaches a ceasefire agreement, an element missing from previous Ukraine ceasefires since 2014.
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Morning opening: Make Europe Relevant Again
Jakub Krupa
After a brutal awakening about the state of the transatlantic alliance over the weekend, key European leaders are meeting in Paris today to figure out what to do next.
They will not be necessarily looking how to Make Europe Great Again, as JD Vance claims he would have want them to, but how to Make Europe Relevant Again in the looming talks about Ukraine’s future.
Hastily convened by French president Emmanuel Macron, the talks with see key regional leaders try to path a way forward outside the formal structures of the European Union, and without the risk of being sabotaged by the likes of Viktor Orbán.
Macron is expected to be joined by Germany’s Scholz, Italy’s Meloni, Poland’s Tusk, Denmark’s Frederiksen (representing the Nordic-Baltic Eight), Spain’s Sanchez, the Netherlands’ Schoof and EU leaders in Commission president von der Leyen and Council president Costa.
The meeting will discuss what defence capabilities Europe could provide to give Ukraine credible security guarantees, including a plan for Ukraine to be given automatic Nato membership in the event of a clear ceasefire breach by Russia.
But there is no hiding from the fact that the Paris summit will be taking place just as US officials will be prepping to meet with Russian counterparts in the Saudi capital of Riyadh to discuss some of the issues at hand – without any Ukrainians or Europeans attending.
If Europe wants to put itself back in this conversation, there is not much time left to do this before it is too late, with potentially devastating consequences for the security order that kept us safe since 1945.
Pas de pression, Paris.
It’s Monday, 17 February 2024, and this is Europe Live. It’s Jakub Krupa here.
Good morning.
