European stocks open slightly higher amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty

European markets opened slightly higher on Monday, with regional defense issues and geopolitical uncertainty remaining in focus.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 index rose 0.15% to 553.26 shortly after the opening bell, while major bourses were mixed.

According to CNBC, the UK’s FTSE 100 index rose 0.08% to 8,739.32, the German DAX index rose 0.26% to 22,566.55, and the French CAC 40 index fell 0.09% to 8,172.86.

Geopolitical tensions between the US and Europe are likely to be a focus for European markets this week, as US officials prepare to hold talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, with officials in Kiev and Europe excluded from those discussions.

European leaders are holding an emergency summit in Paris on Monday to discuss how to respond to what appears to be President Donald Trump’s decision to marginalize Europe, as well as ways to ensure the continent’s future security. Elsewhere, Asia-Pacific markets were mostly higher overnight as investors followed Japan’s fourth-quarter economic growth data and awaited a series of central bank decisions in Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand this week.