EU to assess Putin’s position in talks with NATO, Ukraine chiefs

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Pic/AFP

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky took center stage at Thursday's European Union summit, underscoring the importance the 27 EU leaders attach to protecting their eastern flank from Russian aggression and beefing up Ukraine's defense capabilities.

Zelensky was to address the gathering by video link and Stoltenberg to host an early lunch for the leaders. But the biggest seat at the table will be reserved for something that's not officially on the agenda: the fallout from the stunning weekend mutiny in Russia.

"The mutiny we saw at the weekend demonstrates that there are cracks and divisions within the Russian system. At the same time, it is important to underline that these are internal Russian matters," said Stoltenberg. EU leaders agreed. "This showed deep cracks in Putin's system. This mutiny of last weekend will also have aftershocks that we will see," said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins of Latvia, another nation bordering Russia, said, "we cannot control what is happening inside Russia, but we can control what we do on the outside." Officials said the chaos and instability created by the rebellion would not only force EU to double down on its support for Ukraine with commitments for more ammunition but to ensure fighting and violence does not spill into the bloc.

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