Finland's President Alexander Stubb has urged the international community to rearm Ukraine and put maximum pressure on Russia through sanctions and asset freezes. This call to action comes as the US pushes for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Stubb outlined a three-phase plan, starting with pre-negotiation, where Ukraine must be rearmed and Russia pressured, followed by a ceasefire, and ultimately, long-term peace negotiations.
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The European Union is looking to firm up its stance on Ukraine, with French President Emmanuel Macron convening an emergency meeting in Paris. The meeting aims to discuss the next steps for Ukraine after the US announcements last week. European leaders, including Prime Ministers Keir Starmer, Mette Frederiksen, and Donald Tusk, are expected to attend.
US President Donald Trump's push for a quick resolution to the conflict has stirred concern and uncertainty. Trump has indicated that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet soon to negotiate a peace deal, but European nations may not be involved. Stubb believes that Europe needs to take action and convince the US of its value-added contributions.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for the creation of an "armed forces of Europe" to counter Russia's expansionist threats. Zelenskyy has also warned that Russia is preparing to train 150,000 troops, mostly in Belarus, and that Europe has fewer brigades than Russia.
In other developments, Japan has asked the US to exclude it from steel and aluminium tariffs, and Ukrainian officials have put a proposed agreement on rare earth minerals with the US on hold, citing concerns that it favours US interests.
