European leaders meeting in Paris today have the weight of history on their shoulders.
Donald Trump’s abrupt overthrow of transatlantic guarantees in place since 1945 puts the future security of the continent at stake. Europe is scrambling for relevance while the fate of Ukraine at the hands of Russia’s expansionist aggression is in doubt.
The pace of change in the past week has been overwhelming.
First, European leaders and Kyiv were left in shock after Trump held a call with Vladimir Putin and said the US and Russia would start talks to end Moscow’s war against Ukraine. Those discussions will begin in Saudi Arabia tomorrow.
Then, Trump’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out the possibility of Kyiv joining NATO any time soon and the involvement of any American boots on the ground.
The week ended with Vice President JD Vance telling Europe at the annual Munich Security Conference that it faced greater risks from enemies within than from Russia and China. Some officials in Munich accused Trump’s team of appeasement. Many questioned the transatlantic bond that is the bedrock of Europe’s security.
Europe’s role in any negotiations remains to be seen — despite US officials making clear that much of the burden to secure whatever agreement is reached will fall on the continent.
The risk for the European Union is that Ukraine’s future, and the continent’s security, will be determined over its head. The challenge is the bloc cannot yet articulate exactly what it would bring to the table, nor what it’s prepared to do to ensure peace.
The purpose of today’s Paris meeting is to start forging a tangible plan. Already there are indications European leaders are formulating a major defense spending package.
But they may find that Trump is operating on a different timeframe and wants the fighting to end as early as Easter.
Time is another tangible asset Europe lacks. — Alberto Nardelli