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France
February 19, 2025 French President Macron painted a veneer of European unity by inviting a small number of handpicked European leaders to the Élysée Palace, while the Trump administration sidelined the continent by moving ahead with direct negotiations today with Russia on the war in Ukraine. Cracks in European consensus were hard to ignore. From Macron’s push for European-led defense to Keir Starmer’s “third way” diplomacy, Giorgia Meloni’s balancing act between Brussels and Washington, and Olaf Scholz’s resistance to breaking with NATO, Europe remains divided on its next move. At the same time, the debate over military spending is intensifying, as NATO officials stress the alliance’s 2% GDP target is now a baseline rather than a cap. By hosting the Monday summit in Parisian palace, Macron reinforced his bid to become the dominant voice on Ukraine and European security, with Germany’s Scholz politically weakened, the UK outside the EU and with Italy leaning toward Trump. Macron has emerged as the bloc’s most vocal advocate for strategic autonomy. With a presidential mandate until 2027 and France’s nuclear arsenal making it European Union’s only atomic power, Macron has positioned himself as the only leader with both the ambition and authority to act. His proposal for a European-led security force in Ukraine, even in a limited training and logistics role, fits into his broader push for a continent less dependent on Washington. But Germany is resisting, key frontline EU nations were left out of the summit, and Trump’s unpredictability clouds Europe’s security outlook. Since his first term, Macron has always presented himself as the natural leader of liberals against ’nationalist populists’. One cannot say that this has worked well.” Macron is setting the stage. Is Europe ready to follow? If Macron is stepping forward, Scholz is pushing back. The German Chancellor rejected Macron’s proposal for a European-led security force in Ukraine, calling it “completely premature” and “highly inappropriate” given the ongoing war. He was “a little irritated” that peacekeeping forces were even being discussed “at the wrong time.” He insisted NATO - not an independent European force - must remain the foundation of security. Notably absent from the Paris talks was Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close Trump ally and frequent critic of EU policies. Some observers saw it as a pointed message from Paris and its European allies about the limits of engagement with leaders seen as too closely aligned with Trump’s worldview. Giorgia Meloni, the only leader of a major European economy to attend Trump’s inauguration in January, arrived late to the Paris summit and left without making a public statement. Meloni questioned why the summit was held in Paris rather than Brussels, the EU’s natural decision-making hub. She criticized the exclusion of frontline states such as the Baltic nations, Sweden, and Finland. Meloni pushed back against deploying European troops to Ukraine, calling it “the most complex and least effective option” - especially without firm security guarantees for Kyiv. She still engaged in the talks, bringing Italy’s concerns over long-term European military commitments to the table. Keir Starmer is positioning himself as Europe’s key link to Washington - while maintaining a firm pro-Ukraine stance. The British prime minister is set to travel to Washington next week. While Trump moves toward de-escalation in Ukraine, Starmer is doubling down on support for Kyiv. Stating the UK is ready and willing to send British troops if necessary, this stance stands in contrast to Macron and Scholz’s more cautious approach. The UK is practically the only major ally that Trump hasn’t antagonized since his inauguration. Some analysts suggest Starmer is positioning himself as Trump’s European “whisperer.” (Source: Asharq Al-Awsat, heardquartered in London, United Kingdom, supported by the Saudi government)
19/02/2025 Benhamou, director of OPEWI, Europe's War Institute, says that Trump is aiming to open the Russian market to American companies, rather than support Ukraine and its allies. /Video/ (Source: France 24)
(Wednesday), February 19 2025 In Paris, France's President Macron was to host another meeting on Ukraine today. In comments yesterday to the French media after the U.S.-Russia talks, he suggested Trump could restart useful dialogue with Putin. In Brussels, EU diplomats said member states had today agreed a new round of sanctions against Russia, which will be formally adopted by EU foreign ministers on Monday, the third anniversary of Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. (Hürriyet Daily News, - Headquarters Istambul, Turkey)
European Commission
19 February 2025 Eropean Union agrees new Russia sanctions targeting metals and 73 ’shadow-fleet’ vessels. The package unveiled today largely sticks to the European Commission’s proposal. The newly sanctioned ships will be added to the already listed 79 others, mainly tankers, used by Russia to sell oil outside the price cap or ships that help in Moscow’s war effort such as transporting ammunition from North Korea. In addition to the tankers, the envoys agreed to prohibit transactions with ports and airports in Russia used to circumvent the Group of Seven price cap on Russian oil. The package also expands the criteria the EU will be able to use to sanction owners and operators of the shadow fleet, including captains, as well as those providing support to the military. It also added 48 individuals and 35 entities to its sanctions list that included asset freezes and a travel ban. Sales of video game consoles, joysticks and flight simulators would also be restricted as they could be used by Russia’s military to control drones, an EU diplomat said today. Other bans included exports of chromium and certain chemicals as well as a service ban for oil and gas refineries. (Source: Brussels Signal - Brussels, Belgium / Reuters - United Kingdom)
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