Alarmed that a Trump-Putin deal could be cut without input from Europe or Ukraine, President Macron is gathering today leaders of Europe’s largest nations for an emergency meeting at Paris. Their parley will coincide with the arrival of President Trump’s negotiating team in Saudi Arabia to jump-start talks with their Russian counterparts ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, starting in ten days.

To build on these preliminary talks, President Trump predicted to reporters yesterday that he could  meet “very soon” with President Putin. The goals of the parley at Paris include forging a common negotiating position on Ukraine, selecting a European envoy to participate in peace talks, advancing a military aid package for Ukraine, and rethinking European defense in the event that, after 75 years, Washington goes wobbly.