Emergency Summit HIGHLIGHTS: 'Conflict will unavoidably resume', Russia warns EU as leaders hold summit

Right before leaving for the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the 'ReArm Europe' plan will be among the top issues discussed.

The proposal was announced on Monday, which includes an unprecedented defence package which Leyen said could free up a total of $860bn in defence expenditure for Ukraine. 

The plan further includes: 

• It will allow nations to increase national deficit levels to give room to more defence spending. 
• Loan worth of €150bn for defence investment to benefit the defence of the EU as a whole. Example includes, air and missile defence, anti-drone systems, and a military mobility. It will further help pool demand, and joint procurement would reduce costs
• Allowing countries to redirect funds earmarked for cohesion policy programmes (i.e. policies aimed at levelling the differences between more and less advantaged regions) to defence spending

Adrien Brody has won his second Oscar for best actor for his role in The Brutalist.

Brody’s performance as Hungarian-Jewish architect Laszlo Toth in Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist has made him one of the strongest leading candidates for best actor, competing against Timothee Chalamet. 

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, "I am cautiously optimistic that this will lead to good results."

"It's better not to comment on what ifs. It's my assumption...things can move forward in a positive sense," he added.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to London General Valerii Zaluzhnyi said that the US is "destroying" the established world order by attempting to meet Russia "halfway". He warned that NATO faces a risk of collapse and Europe could become Russia's next target.

French president Emmanuel Macron met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the EU summit. 

They discussed the latest ideas and plans for Ukraine as they continue working on a proposal that could satisfy the Trump administration and help achieve a just and lasting peace.

Around 20 countries are reportedly interested in becoming part of the "coalition of the willing" to help Ukraine, UK official said. 

The officials said that a meeting was convened yesterday to discuss providing security guarantees following any peace deal. 

The officials said it was "early days" but welcomed what they described as a "highly positive step".

As the leaders hold EU Summit, protesters gathered outside the US embassy in Kyiv on Thursday for the fate of Ukrainian prisoners of war and ensure their inclusion in any deal to stop the conflict with Russia. 

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman warned the EU of sending a peacekeeping force in Ukraine and a potential month-long truce, saying it will further escalate the war.

"The conflict will unavoidably resume with renewed force... this is absolutely unacceptable," said Maria Zakharova.

She added that European leaders have "not learnt from the past", referring to the prospect of sending a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

Zakharova added that any European peacekeeping will revive the "agonising" Kyiv regime.

Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever reassured President Volodymyr Zelensky in a bilateral meeting that Ukraine “can count on our pportcontinued su.”

He added that Belgium will not accept any decisions made about Ukraine with Ukrainian leaders.

“Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is the victim. We must never lose sight of that,” he said.

An emergency meeting in Brussels is underway, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron hold their first bilateral meeting.

European Parliament president Roberta Metsola said it was “about damn time” for European leaders to “say that we are ready to put finally our money where our mouth is on Ukraine.”

"This is something that we have been asking for a long time: that the European Union, that Europe is capable of standing up on its own two feet," she said. 

German outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz said that today's meeting is about ensuring continued support for Ukraine. He also stressed the importance of maintaining good relations with the US. 

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said, "it is a day when everything can change and probably will change, when it comes to Europe’s determination when it comes to rearming [Europe] and the defence industry and our readiness to face this Russian challenge to the world.”

Ukrainian President Zelensky thanked European leaders for their “strong support” which he says he has seen “from the very beginning of the war and … during all this period and last week, you stay[ed] with us.”

"We are very thankful that we are not alone. And these are not just words. We feel it. It’s very important you [sent] a strong signal to Ukrainian people, to Ukrainian warriors, to civilians, to all our families. And it’s great that we are not alone," he said. 

As Zelensky arrived, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said it is “a watershed” moment for Europe and Ukraine as the continent “faces a clear and present danger.”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived to further hold talks about Ukraine's security and defence support from the European Union leaders. 

As European Council president António Costa flanked Zelensky, he said that the European leaders need to “make decisions and deliver” on their promises as they face the seriousness of the situation.

“We are here to support Ukraine to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace,” he added.