Shares in European defense companies fell sharply, in contrast to the general rises on stock markets, after the White House talks.

The Stoxx Europe Aerospace and Defense index fell 2.58%, with notable losses for companies such as Leonardo and Hensoldt. At the White House meeting, Donald Trump mentioned the possibility of peace talks despite the active conflict and Zelenski announced a package of security guarantees for Ukraine. In contrast, European markets had a positive day, with gains on the Stoxx 600 index and FTSE 100, as investors awaited clues from the Federal Reserve on monetary policy.