Macron under fire for "arrogance" after excluding key European nations from EU summit

French President Emmanuel Macron is facing criticism after the Czech Republic, Romania, and Slovakia were not invited to the emergency European Union summit held in Paris.

The summit took place on February 17, following the Munich conference over the weekend, where US Vice President J.D. Vance emphasized that European leaders should focus on their own issues while Washington seeks a path to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

According to foreign media reports, authorities in the Czech Republic and Romania expressed their disappointment at not being included in the talks, as per Caliber.Az.

A Czech source noted, "Along with Poland, there are no countries closer to the war. No one has more Ukrainian refugees per capita than the Czech Republic, and we are in the process of organizing one of the most efficient arms supply systems." The source attributed this oversight to what they described as the "arrogance" of President Macron.

Romanian presidential adviser Cristian Diaconescu also voiced dissatisfaction, pointing out that Romania was excluded despite its ongoing efforts to support Ukraine. He said, "Romania has become an important hub for arms supplies to Kyiv because of its location," further highlighting the country’s key role in the conflict.

Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar criticized the EU’s actions, saying that such decisions send the wrong signals about conflict resolution. "This is not in line with the spirit of European integration. This is not the Europe we aspire to. This is not the Europe that will be respected in the world," she remarked.

The summit in Paris, initiated by Macron, focused on European defence issues, including increased defence spending. However, leaders failed to reach an agreement on the potential deployment of a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.

The absence of several key nations at the meeting has amplified tensions, particularly in the context of US-Russia talks, which are scheduled for Tuesday in Saudi Arabia and will not include Ukraine or European allies.

By Tamilla Hasanova