Zelensky urges EU-US unity at bloc's last summit before Trump

BRUSSELS - Donald Trump loomed large over EU leaders Thursday at their last summit before he reclaims power in the United States, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying only transatlantic unity can "save" Ukraine.

The upheaval in Syria after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, and how to deal with the new leadership, was also high-up on the agenda of the gathering.

But officials expect the talks to focus largely on how to strengthen Kyiv's hand, and the European Union's own position, for the volatile Republican's second term.

Before attending the summit, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky held a conclave Wednesday in Brussels with NATO chief Mark Rutte and key European leaders.

Trump moves into the White House next month having pledged to bring a swift end to a conflict that NATO says has left over one million dead and wounded since Russian President Vladimir Putin's 2022 invasion.

EU leaders -- keen not to be left on the sidelines -- are scrambling to come up with their own plans as fears swirl that Trump could pull US support for Kyiv and force it to make painful concessions to Moscow.

"Especially from the very beginning of next year, we need very much unity between the United States, and the EU," Zelensky said at the start of the summit.

"We need this unity to achieve peace, and I think only together the United States and Europe can really stop Putin and save Ukraine."

Discussions have begun between some capitals over the potential deployment of European troops in Ukraine to secure any eventual ceasefire.

Zelensky said he had discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron an initiative from Paris on "the presence of forces in Ukraine that could contribute to stabilising the path to peace".

But European officials say the talks Thursday will concentrate on what can be done now to bolster Kyiv -- rather than second-guessing Trump's actions.

Western backers are seeking to shore up Ukraine's forces as Kyiv's fatigued troops are losing ground across the frontline and North Korean soldiers have reinforced Moscow on the battlefield.

Zelensky said he wanted to talk about "security guarantees for Ukraine, for today and for tomorrow" as he called for more air defences and weaponry.

It is not just Ukraine that is bracing for Trump, with the EU itself fretting about his impact and threats of trade tariffs.

Leaders were set to debate the 27-nation bloc's "place in the world" and how to stay united in the face of the new US president.

NEW SYRIA

While the conflict in Ukraine remained top of the agenda, the collapse of Assad's brutal rule in Syria also presented major opportunities -- and uncertainty.

European nations -- along with other international players -- are jostling for influence in the war-torn country after the end of the Assad family's five-decade domination.

But they are wary of the new authorities who are spearheaded by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has its roots in Al-Qaeda and is listed as a "terrorist" organisation by some Western governments.

Diplomats say the leaders would seek to stake out a stance on how quickly they move to embrace nascent authorities in Damascus, with some countries like Italy pressing to act fast.

The EU has said it stands ready to ramp up support for Syria -- but has laid out a raft of conditions the new authorities must respect.

Those include protecting minorities, overseeing an inclusive transition and shunning extremism.

Shuttering Russian bases in the country that key Assad ally Moscow used to project its power in the Middle East could also be on that list.

The EU imposed punishing economic sanctions on swathes of the Syrian economy as Assad pursued his brutal civil war.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday the bloc should now consider lifting those measures.

"Europe has leverage in Syria and we should use it, so that the power can go back to the people of Syria," she said.

Many EU states see the events in Syria through the prism of migration -- and the impact on stemming, or reversing, the flow of arrivals.

Since Assad's ouster a string of governments have suspended processing asylum requests from Syria, and Austria said it would look to start sending people back.

For now though, the word from Brussels is not to rush.

"UN agencies tell us that risks remain for both individuals and ethnic groups," said von der Leyen.

"So while all refugees have the right to return, this has to be voluntary, safe and dignified."