European Union (EU) leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday to show support for Ukraine, especially with Donald Trump as the U.S. President again. They will talk with Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to reaffirm their commitment to stand by Ukraine during its ongoing conflict with Russia.
Trump has previously suggested that the war should end quickly, recently saying that Zelenskiy should be ready to talk peace with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, he did not clarify if this would involve Ukraine giving up any land to Russia, which currently controls about a fifth of Ukraine and is advancing eastward.
The EU leaders agreed that Russia should not win this conflict and that any talks about Ukraine’s future should include Kyiv’s opinions. One EU diplomat mentioned this shows a clear message to the U.S.
Additionally, the leaders will discuss their relationship with the U.S. during lunch, especially since there are worries about a potential trade war. Trump has warned the EU that it will face high tariffs for not buying enough American products. The EU is determined to stay united and not get divided by U.S. negotiations with individual countries.
The EU will also highlight that it is one of the biggest trading partners for the U.S. and share common values. To address America’s concerns about trade, the EU might offer to buy more U.S. liquefied natural gas or military equipment.
During their lunch debate, they will also bring up issues with China and whether the EU will have to take sides in the U.S.-China trade dispute. Britain is also a topic, as it seeks to improve relations with the EU, which sees Britain as an important security partner.
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