Bloomberg:
The UK is organizing a gathering of European leaders to continue discussions about Russia’s war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on 25 February, citing people familiar with the matter. This meeting would follow recent diplomatic efforts in Paris, Washington and Kyiv.
According to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, the summit could take place as early as Sunday, 2 March. They noted that the plans remain tentative and could change. A virtual meeting remains an alternative option.
This comes after the Paris summit, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron on the same matter amid the US-Russia meeting in Saudi Arabia on 18 February. After the summit, Macron said there would be a second round of such meetings.
French President Emmanuel Macron also met with Trump at the White House on 24 February. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is scheduled to meet the US president in Washington on 27 February. Starmer’s office declined to comment on the potential European meeting.
Trump suggested on social media on 24 February that he is making progress on ending the war without European or Ukrainian input. He stated he is in “serious discussions” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s comments followed a gathering of European leaders and Canada’s Justin Trudeau in Kyiv. They met to mark three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, on 24 February.
Sources told Bloomberg the potential UK-hosted meeting would allow European leaders to “take stock of their conversations with Trump and his officials over the past week and maintain a united position.”
“European leaders are engaged in an intense diplomatic effort to persuade President Donald Trump not to rush into a cease-fire deal with Russia,” Bloomberg reported. European officials worry such an agreement “would embolden Moscow and weaken security in Europe.”
