The 27 leaders of the European Union are gathering in Brussels to discuss the future of Ukraine, a candidate country to join the bloc, amid Donald Trump's maximalist demand that a deal to end Russia's war be struck as soon as possible. It marks the first time that the heads of state and government meet in the same room since the American president held a 90-minute phone call with Vladimir Putin and decided to launch negotiations to end the three-year invasion. Trump's growing embrace of the Kremlin's talking points, his refusal to condemn Russia as the aggressor and his extraordinary confrontation with Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office have profoundly rattled the EU and stoked fears that Washington will thrash out a deal with Moscow and then force Kyiv to take it or leave it. The tensions slightly abated this week after Zelensky expressed regret over the Oval Office clash and praised Trump's "strong leadership". The Republican responded positively, saying he "appreciated" Zelensky's words. "It's time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides," Trump told Congress. Despite the apparent détente, the White House has maintained a temporary suspension of military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv, two decisions that risk having disastrous consequences for the country at a critical time on the battlefield. "The United States of America, our ally, has changed its position on this war, supporting Ukraine less, and leaving doubt about what comes next," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised speech. "I want to believe that the US will stand by our side, but we have to be ready for that not to be the case," As they gather on Thursday for a special summit, convened in reaction to the US-Russia talks, the 27 leaders will attempt to project unity and resolve in their collective support for Ukraine and answer some of the most pressing questions, such as what sort of security guarantees the EU can afford to provide, how much additional money it is willing to devote and how far it can go to make up for America's absence. The question of whether to appoint a special envoy for the negotiations may also be discussed, although no shortlist of names is likely to be put forward at this stage. Zelensky will travel to the city to address the heads of state and government in person. But the effort to close ranks might be wrinkled by Viktor Orbán, who has fully aligned himself with the new US administration and threatened to derail any new initiative that, in his view, could undermine Trump's deal-making push. Orbán particularly opposes the "peace through strength" approach as it entails further military assistance to Kyiv. "There is a strategic divide, a transatlantic rift between the majority of Europe and the USA under President Trump," Orbán said ahead of the summit, setting the tone. It's unclear at this stage how much influence Orbán will have in the joint conclusions of the summit, which must be agreed upon by consensus. The Hungarian premier has a history of waving his veto power only to relent at the last minute. Diplomats and officials have spent the last few days fine-tuning the conclusions to accommodate all viewpoints but do not exclude the scenario in which a final text, with more ambition, is signed off by 26 leaders, or 25 if Slovakia joins Hungary's camp. The latest draft conclusions seen by Euronews include a brief reference to the common fund proposed by High Representative Kaja Kallas to rapidly increase lethal and non-lethal supplies to Ukraine, which Hungary has suggested it would veto. So far, no number has been put on the Kallas plan, with speculation in Brussels running from €10 billion to as much as €40 billion. "The initiative will be clearly mentioned. It only needs to be worked out more," said a senior EU diplomat. "We would love to see a sum (of money). That would've been a very clear-cut signal to Ukraine but also to others that we're assuming our responsibility." Orbán's opposition coincides with the emergence of a "coalition of the willing" made up of democratic nations committed to backing Ukraine during and after the negotiations through security guarantees, such as boots on the ground and air protection. France, Denmark and Sweden, as well as non-EU countries like the United Kingdom, Norway and Australia, have already expressed an interest in joining the nascent coalition. All of them, though, have insisted their contribution must be paired with an American backstop. Trump has not shown any indication he would provide such a backstop, pitching instead a minerals deal as a sort of economic deterrence against Russia. "This is a debate that is premature. We do not have a peace agreement, we do not even have negotiations to achieve a ceasefire. It's premature to specify what needs to be done," said a senior EU official. "But we cannot be oblivious that the context has changed. Many of our member states have said they would be willing to participate in the coalition." Thursday's summit will also address defense spending, building upon the recent proposal by Ursula von der Leyen to mobilize up to €800 billion in additional investment. For Brussels, both issues – Ukraine's future and military expenditure – have essentially become the two sides of the same coin. Ensuring Ukraine's endurance as a sovereign and stable democracy will require member states to beef up their national armies to keep Russia's expansionism in check and guarantee a lasting peace. "There can be no negotiations that affect European security without Europe's involvement," the draft conclusions say. "Ukraine's, Europe's and global security are intertwined." — Euronews
