ATHENS

An emergency meeting on Ukraine called by French President Emmanuel Macron kicked off in Paris on Monday afternoon.

European leaders are gathering amid concerns sparked by US President Donald Trump’s direct engagement with Russia and his administration’s intention to exclude the EU from Ukraine peace talks.

Participating in the summit are the leaders of the UK, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Denmark, as well as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, apart from host Macron.

The meeting is expected to focus on European security and how to maintain support for Kyiv amid shifting US priorities.

It come after reports that Trump discussed the Ukraine war with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, catching Kyiv and allies off guard.

Washington has also warned NATO that Europe will no longer be its top security priority as it focuses on China.