EU leaders hold talks as Macron briefs on Trump meeting

ISTANBUL

The EU leaders held a video conference on Wednesday to prepare for an emergency summit on March 6, with French President Emmanuel Macron briefing his counterparts on his recent meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington.

The virtual meeting, chaired by European Council President Antonio Costa, lasted about 30 minutes and included all 27 EU leaders, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Costa described the discussion as “very useful” ahead of the summit, where the bloc is set to decide on military aid for Ukraine and measures to strengthen European defense.

"Continuing to work on close European coordination, today president @EmmanuelMacron debriefed EU leaders on his meeting with @realDonaldTrump earlier this week in Washington," he said on X.

"Very useful to prepare our special European Council on 6 March, where we will take decisions on our support to Ukraine and strengthening European defence," he added.

Macron warns against rushed peace deal

During his meeting with Trump on Feb. 25, Macron reaffirmed Europe's commitment to supporting Ukraine while cautioning against a rushed ceasefire that could favor Russia.

Trump, who has pledged to end the war "within weeks," has engaged directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin without prior consultation with Western allies.

"We had a ceasefire in the past that was not respected," Macron said, referring to the failed Minsk agreements.

He also corrected Trump’s claim that Ukraine would repay the EU for its financial aid, stating: “We provided real money, to be clear.”

The talks were critical after Trump questioned US support for Ukraine, describing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a "dictator without elections" and casting doubt on continued American involvement in the conflict.

At the March 6 summit, EU leaders are expected to finalize a new common fund to provide Ukraine with military aid, including artillery, air defense systems, and training equipment.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is preparing a proposal to significantly increase defense spending across the bloc, a key demand from Washington. The plan, expected to be presented at the March 6 summit, is likely to include joint EU funding mechanisms.