EU leaders meet for emergency talks on defense and aid to Ukraine
The summit, which gathered leaders from all 27 EU nations, took place just days after US President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who also attended the Brussels gathering.
"During all this period, and last week, you stayed with us... these are not just words, we feel it," Zelensky told European leaders, expressing gratitude that Ukrainians "are not alone" in their fight against Russian aggression, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
Baltic nations and Poland welcomed Macron's proposal to launch talks about extending France's nuclear deterrent capabilities to help protect European allies against Russian threats.
France is the EU's only nuclear power, following the United Kingdom's exit from the bloc, and Macron's willingness to discuss sharing its nuclear deterrent represents a significant shift in European defence policy.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda called it a "very interesting idea" with "high expectations, because a nuclear umbrella would serve as really very serious deterrence towards Russia".
Speaking ahead of the summit, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described Macron's position as "very promising".
The French president had earlier warned that Europe must prepare for the possibility that US support might waver.
"Europe must be ready against the Russian threat, in case its traditional ally, the United States, is no longer by its side," Macron said.
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