France is planning to host a European security meeting on Wednesday and has invited additional European countries, along with NATO ally Canada, diplomatic sources disclosed on Tuesday.
The countries invited include Norway, Canada, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Romania, Sweden, and Belgium. The meeting format will be hybrid, with video participation, according to three diplomats.
French President Emmanuel Macron recently conducted an emergency meeting with various countries, including Britain, Germany, and Italy, in addition to the NATO alliance and the EU executive. The meeting aimed to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, strategies for enhancing defense spending in Europe, and expediting diplomatic efforts led by the U.S. administration.
Certain countries expressed discontent over the meeting's exclusive nature, as it was not a comprehensive EU summit, as per EU officials.
The Elysee Palace has not yet responded to requests for comments.