French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday invited European leaders, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, to a summit aimed at boosting Ukraine’s security ahead of a possible ceasefire with Russia.
Discussions are underway about what security guarantees Europe can offer Ukraine after a ceasefire was agreed to end more than three years of war, including the possible deployment of military forces by a ‘coalition of the willing’. After several hours of discussions at the summit, attended by 27 heads of state and government, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Macron was expected to hold a press conference in the afternoon and other leaders were expected to hold their own briefings.
Turkey, a key NATO member, is under scrutiny due to protests in the country. Turkey is represented at the conference by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz. Macron and Starmer have taken the lead in creating a coordinated European response to Ukraine’s security after US President Donald Trump shocked the world by holding “direct talks” with Russia. European countries have described the direct talks with Putin, who has been under sanctions for his invasion of Ukraine, as a “surprise”.
In addition to boosting Ukraine’s own armed forces, a key pillar for ensuring security and deterring any further Russian aggression in Europe could be the deployment of European troops in Ukraine, although its modalities are unclear. “The United States is playing a leading role by facilitating ceasefire talks,” Starmer said. “(President) Zelensky has repeatedly demonstrated his commitment, and Europe is stepping up to play its part in securing Ukraine’s future.”
Starmer continued, “So far, Russian President Putin has shown that he is not serious about peace talks and that his commitment to any ceasefire with Ukraine is hollow.” Before the summit, Macron, Starmer, and Zelensky held trilateral talks at the Elysee Palace.
Hamas says spokesman killed in Israeli strike on Gaza
Hamas said an Israeli air strike killed one of its official spokesmen in Gaza on Thursday, the latest high-ranking operative targeted since Israel resumed its bombardment. The group said in a statement it mourned the loss of Abdul Latif al-Qanou who was killed in what it called a “direct” strike on a tent he was in, in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza. A fragile ceasefire that brought weeks of relative calm to Gaza ended on March 18 with Israel resuming its bombing campaign across the territory.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, at least 855 people have been killed since. Qanou is the latest Hamas official to be killed in recent Israeli strikes. Israel’s military said last week it had killed the head of Hamas’s internal security agency, Rashid Jahjouh, in an air strike.
Days earlier, Hamas had named the head of its government in the Gaza Strip, Essam al-Dalis, and interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa, among a list of officials it said were killed in strikes. The Israeli military confirmed it had killed Dalis, a member of Hamas’s political bureau who became the head of its administration in Gaza in June 2021.
Hamas has also confirmed the deaths of Salah al-Bardawil and Yasser Harb, both members of its political bureau. “The occupation’s targeting of the movement’s leaders and spokespersons will not break our will,” Hamas said Thursday.
