Europe is vying for a say in fast-advancing Russia-Ukraine peace talks after the U.S. over the weekend exacerbated fears that Brussels would be absent from the high level negotiations.

European leaders meeting in Paris for emergency talks on Monday called for higher spending to ramp up the continent's defence capabilities but remained split on the idea of deploying peacekeepers to Ukraine to back up any peace deal.

The hastily called gathering was part of a flurry of diplomacy expected to center on Ukraine this week as Trump officials prepare to start talks with Russia on their own.