(MENAFN) Several top European leaders have withdrawn from next week’s EU-CELAC summit in Santa Marta, citing concerns that their presence could provoke US President Donald Trump, media reported. The summit comes shortly after Trump imposed sanctions and authorized military strikes against Colombia, the event’s host nation.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron are all absent from the meeting. Their withdrawals follow Trump’s accusation that Colombian President Gustavo Petro is an “illegal drug dealer” and his directive for US attacks on suspected narcotics boats in the Caribbean.

EU officials, who continue to rely on US military and intelligence support for Ukraine, are reportedly “wary of upsetting Trump” and risking a fragile trade agreement reached this summer, media reported Monday.

A spokesperson for the European Commission said von der Leyen would skip the summit due to the “current agenda and low turnout.” Berlin cited similar reasons for Merz’s absence, while the Elysee Palace confirmed Macron’s decision without offering further detail. A senior Latin American official told media that the meeting is facing “last-minute cancellations,” describing the situation as “very complicated.” Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the planning, reported that only five European leaders and three Latin American and Caribbean leaders have confirmed attendance.

Trump has ordered a major naval buildup in the Caribbean, saying it targets drug trafficking and seeks to pressure Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. This escalation followed last month’s sanctions against Petro, further straining the already tense US-Colombia relationship.

Petro, whose plane was denied fuel during a stop in Cape Verde last week due to the sanctions, accused Washington of trying to sabotage the summit. “The new anti-democratic fossil geopolitics is trying to stop the peoples who want freedom and democracy from meeting,” he wrote on X on Monday.

Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo downplayed the impact of the withdrawals, insisting they were not linked to US actions and adding, “Colombia is not isolated.”

Reported attendees include Brazil’s Lula da Silva and Spain’s Pedro Sanchez, with European Council President Antonio Costa expected to co-chair the meeting.

The EU and CELAC together represent 50 countries and 21% of global GDP. Organizers say the summit aims to strengthen trade ties and combat organized crime.

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