European leaders insisted Monday they must have a say in international talks to end the war in Ukraine despite the clear message from both Washington and Moscow that there was no role for them as yet in negotiations that could shape the future of the continent.

European leaders meeting in Paris on Monday for emergency talks called for higher defense spending to ramp up the continent's defense capabilities but remained divided on the possible deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine to back up any peace deal.

A group of European leaders at a meeting in Paris on Monday expressed their readiness to give Ukraine security guarantees. The leaders, however, warned that it would be dangerous to conclude a ceasefire without a peace agreement at the same time.