BRUSSELS – European Union leaders plan to deliver a “clear signal” to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during a summit on Thursday, emphasizing their steadfast support for Ukraine. They will also address the security and economic challenges his presidency might bring.
The leaders will begin their discussions in Brussels by hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and reaffirming their “unwavering commitment” to backing Ukraine “for as long as it takes,” according to draft conclusions.
Trump has consistently called for a swift resolution to the nearly three-year-old conflict. On Monday, he suggested that Zelenskiy should prepare for a peace agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though he did not specify if this would involve Kyiv ceding territory as part of the settlement.
Currently, Russian forces control nearly a fifth of Ukraine and continue to make advances in the eastern regions.
“Russia must not prevail,” the EU draft states, adding that no decisions regarding Ukraine should proceed without Kyiv’s involvement. One EU diplomat described the draft as sending “a clear signal to the U.S.”
The leaders will also discuss broader EU-U.S. relations over lunch, amid rising concerns about a potential transatlantic trade war.
Trump has warned that the EU will face “a big price” in tariffs for not purchasing enough U.S. exports. He has already announced significant tariffs on major trading partners like Canada, Mexico, and China, with the EU anticipating similar treatment.
Unity and Strategy
According to EU diplomats, maintaining unity will be vital for the bloc, preventing Washington from engaging in bilateral negotiations with individual member states—a strategy the EU successfully employed during Brexit negotiations.
“The U.S. may attempt separate negotiations, but so far, no country has taken that bait,” one diplomat remarked.
The EU aims to highlight its role as the United States’ second-largest trading partner and a close ally with shared values. However, mindful of Trump’s focus on trade deficits, EU officials have suggested increasing imports of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) or arms to ease tensions.
The lunchtime discussion, titled “EU in the World,” is expected to touch on relations with China, the possibility of taking sides in a U.S.-China trade dispute, and post-Brexit ties with Britain, which the bloc sees as a key security ally seeking to reset its relationship with the EU.
