Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Brussels on Thursday (March 6) on the sidelines of a crucial European Union summit on the conflict in Ukraine, Reuters reports.
European leaders are expected to agree to ramp up defence spending and reaffirm support for Ukraine at the summit on Thursday, after U.S. President Donald Trump's suspension of military aid to Kyiv fueled concerns the EU can no longer rely on U.S. protection.
Zelenskiy joined leaders of the EU's 27 for the summit, although Hungary's nationalist leader Viktor Orban, a Trump ally, may veto a unanimous statement backing Kyiv.
The Brussels meeting comes after both Macron and Zelenskiy met with Trump in recent weeks.
Macron said in a televised address to the nation on Wednesday (March 5) he plans next week to hold a meeting of army chiefs from European countries willing to send troops to Ukraine after any eventual peace deal with Russia.
