EU to hold emergency summit on Ukraine and defense on March 6

The head of the European Council António Costa on February 23 announced that the European Union (EU) will hold an emergency summit in Brussels on March 6 on the conflict in Ukraine and European defense.

"I have decided to convene a special European Council on March 6. We are at a crucial moment for Ukraine and European security," he informed on X (former Twitter).

Costa said he heard from European countries during the consultations a shared commitment to tackle challenges such as strengthening European defense, a decisive contribution to peace on the continent and security guarantees in Ukraine.

He also said he would continue to work together with European Commission (EC) head Ursula von der Leyen and EU leaders to be ready to take decisions on March 6.

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Earlier in the day, the head of the Crimean parliament, Volodymyr Konstantinov, described a possible decision by the EU to send its peacekeepers to Ukraine as suicidal for the association. The politician added that he considered the introduction of European troops into the country unlikely - the EU states have very modest armies.

At the same time, French President Emmanuel Macron said on February 20 that Paris was not now considering sending its military contingent to take part in the Ukrainian conflict. Nevertheless, he said that after the crisis is resolved, the deployment of French peacekeepers to Ukraine is not ruled out.