Europe will form a ‘coalition of the willing’ to safeguard a ceasefire deal in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said following a Ukraine summit in London.
Leaders and representatives from more than 15 Western nations participated in the summit, where they discussed their own vision for peace in Ukraine after Trump initiated negotiations with Moscow without consulting them.
Among the attendees were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa also joined the discussions.
Addressing a press conference after the summit, Starmer stressed the need for a peace deal backed by strength, not weakness.
"We cannot accept a weak deal like Minsk, which Russia can breach with ease. Instead, any deal must be backed by strength,” he said, referring to the broken ceasefire agreements that were put in place after the occupation of Crimea in 2014.
He added: “Every nation must contribute to that in the best way it can.
“Our starting point must be to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position now so that they can negotiate from a position of strength, and we are doubling down on our support.”
Outlining the agreed steps, Starmer said: “We will keep the military aid flowing and keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine now. Second, we agree that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the table.”
He continued: “Third, in the event of a peace deal, we will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities to deter any future invasion. “
Starmer also announced that Western leaders had agreed to establish a “coalition of the willing” to defend a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine.
“Not every nation will feel able to contribute, but that can’t mean that we sit back,” the prime minister said. “Instead, those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency.”
Among the attendees were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa also joined the discussions.
Addressing a press conference after the summit, Starmer stressed the need for a peace deal backed by strength, not weakness.
"We cannot accept a weak deal like Minsk, which Russia can breach with ease. Instead, any deal must be backed by strength,” he said, referring to the broken ceasefire agreements that were put in place after the occupation of Crimea in 2014.
He added: “Every nation must contribute to that in the best way it can.
“Our starting point must be to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position now so that they can negotiate from a position of strength, and we are doubling down on our support.”
Outlining the agreed steps, Starmer said: “We will keep the military aid flowing and keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine now. Second, we agree that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the table.”
He continued: “Third, in the event of a peace deal, we will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities to deter any future invasion. “
Starmer also announced that Western leaders had agreed to establish a “coalition of the willing” to defend a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine.
“Not every nation will feel able to contribute, but that can’t mean that we sit back,” the prime minister said. “Instead, those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency.”
‘Boots on the ground and planes in the air’
Emphasizing Britain’s readiness to play a leading role in this effort alongside other allies, he said the U.K. “is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air.”
Starmer and Macron have repeatedly floated the possibility of deploying a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine to monitor a potential ceasefire with Russia.
The two leaders, who recently visited the U.S., urged Trump to stay engaged in managing the post-war situation in Ukraine but have not received any concrete guarantees from his administration, which has repeatedly called on Europe to shoulder greater responsibility for its own defense.
Starmer said that while “Europe must do the heavy lifting,” its efforts to support peace on the continent must have strong U.S. backing.
He also announced a new $2 billion deal which would allow Ukraine to purchase 5,000 air-defense missiles using export finance.
Described by Starmer as “a once-in-a-generation moment,” the summit came at a critical time as America’s traditional allies fear that U.S. commitment to the Ukraine peace process could wane following a heated on-air exchange between Zelenskyy and Trump on Friday.
The fiery spat, which took place in the Oval Office, strained U.S.-Ukraine relations, with Trump threatening to withdraw U.S. support for Kyiv.
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