France to host second summit on Ukraine, EU security

Shafaq News/ France has extended invitations to Canada and several European nations that were absent from the initial meeting on Ukraine’s crisis and European security to join a follow-up meeting on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

According to sources, countries including Norway, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Belgium, and Canada will participate, with some representatives joining via video call.

The move comes after Eastern European nations, notably Romania and the Czech Republic, expressed dissatisfaction over their exclusion from Monday’s meeting.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala voiced frustration, criticizing French President Emmanuel Macron’s handling of the meeting, accusing him of "arrogance." Fiala pointed out that the Czech Republic had hosted a significant number of Ukrainian refugees.

EU officials informed Reuters that several nations were displeased with the exclusive nature of the meeting, which only included selected leaders, rather than a full European Union summit.

The initial gathering, held in Paris and initiated by Macron, included leaders from eight European countries, including Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, and others.

It also saw the participation of European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

However, the meeting concluded without any resolutions, statements, or a press conference from Macron.

The Financial Times reported sharp disagreements during the meeting, particularly regarding the potential deployment of forces to Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk clarified that Poland had no plans to send troops to Ukraine, but would support nations willing to do so.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concerns about discussions surrounding foreign troop deployments, deeming it premature given the ongoing uncertainty over the outcomes of ceasefire negotiations.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed a readiness to consider deploying British forces alongside other nations if a long-term peace agreement is reached, emphasizing that any deployment would require security guarantees from the United States.

Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed dissatisfaction with the Paris meeting, arguing that the Ukraine issue should involve discussions with leaders from all EU member states, including those with closer ties to Russia. She declined to speak to the media after the meeting.