EU leaders met in Munich at the weekend as tensions increased over the changing position of the Trump administration regarding Ukraine, Russia, and European security. Anxieties heightened as Washington seemed to shift toward direct talks with Moscow, potentially bypassing Europe and undermining Kyiv.
Vice President JD Vance minimized Ukraine’s importance in his speech, while Trump’s envoy assured that European countries would not be involved in future negotiations. The news raised appeasement fears, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wondering if history was repeating itself. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk shared the same sentiment, tweeting “MUNICH. NEVER AGAIN.”
The anxiety intensified following reports that American and Russian leaders would sit down in Saudi Arabia to negotiate the end of the war. Washington demanded that any agreement guarantee a “durable” peace and involve Ukraine as a participant at the negotiating table. European leaders, however, were unconvinced, struggling to understand the Trump administration’s larger game.
Recent American actions have turned years of Western policy to isolate Russia and build up Ukraine’s hand prior to negotiations on their head. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated NATO membership was not an option for Ukraine and labeled it unrealistic for Kyiv to recover pre-2014 borders. Trump added to the worries by characterizing a recent phone call with Putin as “productive” and advocating for immediate peace talks.
In reply, French President Emmanuel Macron declared an emergency summit in Paris on Monday involving top European leaders, EU officials, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to redefine Europe’s security role. At the same time, US diplomats were ready to leave for Saudi Arabia for initial talks with Russian officials, although Washington refuted excluding European leaders from subsequent talks.
With uncertainty hanging over it, European leaders now have urgent questions about their contribution to the security of Ukraine and the future of the transatlantic relationship.
