Paris meeting aims to retake initiative on talks about Ukraine’s future as US and Russian delegates prepare to meet

Emmanuel Macron will host a Paris summit of European defence powers on Monday to try to retake the initiative and demand the US ends its lockout of Europe from talks on Ukraine’s future.

With the US and Russia due to send high-powered delegations for talks in Riyadh this week – the first such meetings in two years – there are fears in Europe that Russia will relaunch its plan for imposed Ukrainian neutrality and a joint US-Russia carve-up with agreed spheres of influence.