The cacophony of statements by senior American officials about the future of Ukraine has caused confusion and concern among European leaders, who have announced an emergency meeting.
US President Donald Trump's recent phone call to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and the announcement of the start of peace talks in Ukraine have stirred spirits on the Old Continent.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stunned European allies with a speech in which he outlined what many interpreted as a series of concessions that Ukraine would have to make in order to sign any peace deal with Russia brokered by President Trump.
It is "unrealistic" to think that Ukraine could regain its territory occupied by Russia, as well as its bid for NATO membership, Hegseth said.
He also says that it is up to European, not American, troops to maintain peace.
Critics, including some Republicans in Washington, condemned the speech, saying it stripped Ukraine of all power before any negotiations could take place.
That, they claim, would be a capitulation of the US to Putin.
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To Hegset's remarks, it should be added Verbal slaps from US Vice President J.D. Vance addressed to European leaders at the Munich Security Conference.
Vance did not talk about Ukraine, but criticized the European Union (EU), saying that the biggest threat to European security is not Russia and China, but comes "from within."
Shock and disbelief in the hall in Munich.
Two days later, European leaders announce an emergency summit on the war in Ukraine.
They are due to meet in Paris to agree on a common position amid concerns that the United States is pushing for peace talks with Russia that would exclude Europe.
The meeting could be held as early as Monday, Reuters reports, citing four European diplomatic sources.
That such a summit is being prepared was announced on Saturday evening by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
He stated that French President Emmanuel Macron "is already inviting European leaders to Paris."
"President Trump has a method of working that the Russians call force sensing: you start acting and see what happens, and then change your stance...
"We [in Europe] must respond too," the Polish minister said, referring to the long phone conversation between the US and Russian presidents on February 12.
The Elysee Palace has yet to make any official statements about the summit, but some European leaders have indicated that they may participate in an informal meeting.
One of them is British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Late on Saturday, February 15, he said this was a "once-in-a-generation moment for our national security" and that Europe must play a more active role in NATO.
"We need to face the reality of today's world and the threat posed by Russia."
"It is clear that Europe must take a greater role in NATO, as we work with the United States to secure Ukraine's future and counter the threats to us from Russia," the British prime minister said in a statement.
"The UK will work to keep the US and Europe together," Starmer added.
After the European summit, Starmer plans to discuss its results with Trump, and their meeting is expected in Washington at the end of February.
Asked what he would talk about with Starmer, Trump replied: "I don't know, he asked to talk. We've met twice already, he's an okay guy."
Upon returning from Washington, another summit is expected to be attended by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will also attend the summit.
He told the Munich Security Conference that Europe must come up with "good proposals" to secure peace in Ukraine if it wants to participate in the US-led negotiations.
"If Europeans want to be questioned, they have to show their worth," Rutte said.
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Starmer's statement that Europe must play a more active role in NATO came hours after US Vice President J.D. Vance, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, reiterated the Trump administration's claim that Europe must "step up to provide for its own defense."
In Munich, Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said that he "doesn't see" Europe at the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine.
"We discussed the problem of the Minsk agreement. There were many people at the table and they did not have the opportunity to engage in the peace process, and as a result it failed."
"We will not repeat Minsk," Kellogg was emphatic.
After his conversation with Putin, Trump made it clear that negotiations would begin, if not otherwise, with direct contacts between Washington and Moscow.
Zelensky said in Munich that Kyiv considers It is unacceptable that the future of Ukraine is decided without its participation..
The administration of former US President Joseph Biden adhered to the same principle - "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine."
The White House later explained that Ukraine would also participate in the peace talks, with the US acting as a mediator between Kiev and Moscow.
Senior White House officials are expected to meet with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Reuters.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio already spoke by phone on Saturday evening about preparations for the meeting.
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The debate over Europe's role and place in a peace settlement comes amid Zelensky's call to create an "army of Europe."
Zelensky said in Munich that US Vice President JD Vance's speech clearly showed that the old relations between Europe and America were "ending" and that the continent "needs to adapt."
Citing four European diplomatic sources, Reuters reported that the US State Department sent a diplomatic note to European capitals asking what they were prepared to provide to guarantee Ukraine's security, including how many troops they could provide.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb confirmed to Reuters that he had received such a note with questions.
In his opinion, "this will make Europeans think, and then it will be up to Europeans to decide whether to answer this question and whether to answer everything together."
A State Department spokesman explained the meaning of the letter to Reuters: Washington "made it clear that we expect our European partners to take the lead in establishing a strong security framework and we expect them to make suggestions."
"A strong, independent Europe is in their interest, as well as ours," a US official quoted by Reuters said.
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