The leaders of the European Union, the United Kingdom and the secretary general of NATO will meet on 3 February in Belgium for an extraordinary meeting dedicated to European defence, European Council President Antonio Costa announced.

The summit, with the participation of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, will take place two weeks after the new US President Donald Trump takes office.

The stance the next US administration will take on support for Ukraine in its war with Russia is a matter of grave concern to Europeans and NATO.

“I believe we share the same concerns about the threats facing Europe,” Costa said in his letter to the leaders, referring to the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

The summit will be held at the Limón Tower, which is about 20 kilometers from Liege.