Representatives of around 25 countries showed they were “united in support for Ukraine” during in a virtual conference hosted by the U.K. on Saturday, Poland’s defense minister has said.
The meeting brought together leaders of major European states, as well as Australia and Canada, but not the United States. The Ukrainian president also addressed the gathering.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the countries involved were stepping up preparations to support Kyiv in case a peace deal was struck with Russia.
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s defense minister, who attended the meeting said the European-led group is now a wide coalition.
“There is full determination of European countries, both from the EU, but also those that form a broader community, because Turkey was with us, the current president [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan was there, the prime minister of Canada, representatives of Australia, New Zealand also joined, so it has an above-European dimension, everyone is united in support for Ukraine,” he said.
Kosiniak-Kamysz added that Ukraine’s decision to back an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire was received positively in the conference. Those present wanted to shift the pressure onto Russia now, he said.
“There is an agreement on the part of Ukraine, the United States, and now let Russia show its true intentions, whether they really want peace, or whether all these are empty words that were only used to prolong the talks.
“This pressure must be exerted, both economic and political, on Russia in order to achieve a just peace,” he said, quoted by Poland’s national press agency, PAP.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the countries involved were stepping up preparations to support Kyiv in case a peace deal was struck with Russia.
Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Poland’s defense minister, who attended the meeting said the European-led group is now a wide coalition.
“There is full determination of European countries, both from the EU, but also those that form a broader community, because Turkey was with us, the current president [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan was there, the prime minister of Canada, representatives of Australia, New Zealand also joined, so it has an above-European dimension, everyone is united in support for Ukraine,” he said.
Kosiniak-Kamysz added that Ukraine’s decision to back an American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire was received positively in the conference. Those present wanted to shift the pressure onto Russia now, he said.
“There is an agreement on the part of Ukraine, the United States, and now let Russia show its true intentions, whether they really want peace, or whether all these are empty words that were only used to prolong the talks.
“This pressure must be exerted, both economic and political, on Russia in order to achieve a just peace,” he said, quoted by Poland’s national press agency, PAP.
‘Keep the military aid flowing’
U.K. leader Starmer, who has taken up a leading role in bridging differences between the U.S. and Ukraine in recent weeks, also said more pressure needs to be put on Moscow.
While Russia has welcomed the ceasefire proposal in principle, it has also put forward a list of conditions that effectively restate its war aims.
“We agreed we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine, and keep tightening restrictions on Russia's economy to weaken [President Vladimir] Putin's war machine and bring him to the table,” Starmer said.
Evidence from Poland suggests that American aid to Ukraine, which was temporarily suspended before being reinstated when the ceasefire deal was signed, has started flowing again.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said a key logistical hub for military support, located near Rzeszów in southeastern Poland, is now a hive of activity, according to the daily reports he receives.
“It is aid in both in terms of access to very important intelligence but also aid in delivering equipment,” he told reporters in Kraków on Saturday.
“We see that, after a few days, deliveries are being made, not only of the objects that were held up in the base in Rzeszów, but also of further military aid from the U.S.”
While Russia has welcomed the ceasefire proposal in principle, it has also put forward a list of conditions that effectively restate its war aims.
“We agreed we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine, and keep tightening restrictions on Russia's economy to weaken [President Vladimir] Putin's war machine and bring him to the table,” Starmer said.
Evidence from Poland suggests that American aid to Ukraine, which was temporarily suspended before being reinstated when the ceasefire deal was signed, has started flowing again.
Kosiniak-Kamysz said a key logistical hub for military support, located near Rzeszów in southeastern Poland, is now a hive of activity, according to the daily reports he receives.
“It is aid in both in terms of access to very important intelligence but also aid in delivering equipment,” he told reporters in Kraków on Saturday.
“We see that, after a few days, deliveries are being made, not only of the objects that were held up in the base in Rzeszów, but also of further military aid from the U.S.”
‘Strong plans’ for security guarantees
After the meeting, Starmer said military chiefs of the countries involved: “Will meet on Thursday this week here in the United Kingdom to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security.”
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said he had told his allies at the gathering that they need to “define a clear position on security guarantees”, including a commitment to basing troops on Ukrainian territory.
The U.K. and France have said they could deploy peacekeepers in the event of a ceasefire, but other allies, such as Poland, have ruled it out. Russia has said it would not accept Western soldiers in Ukraine.
Since American President Donald Trump returned to power in January, Ukraine and its allies have been faced with a dramatic realignment in world politics, with the new U.S. administration opening discussions with Russia and, at times, repeating talking points promoted by the Kremlin.
On Friday, Trump has that there is a “very good chance” the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has lasted over three years, could come to an end after “productive discussions” between a U.S. envoy and Putin.
However, many of Ukraine’s allies are worried that an U.S.-brokered peace deal at this stage may involve significant concessions from Ukraine, including a loss of territory and the end of aspirations to join international organizations such as the EU and NATO.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said he had told his allies at the gathering that they need to “define a clear position on security guarantees”, including a commitment to basing troops on Ukrainian territory.
The U.K. and France have said they could deploy peacekeepers in the event of a ceasefire, but other allies, such as Poland, have ruled it out. Russia has said it would not accept Western soldiers in Ukraine.
Since American President Donald Trump returned to power in January, Ukraine and its allies have been faced with a dramatic realignment in world politics, with the new U.S. administration opening discussions with Russia and, at times, repeating talking points promoted by the Kremlin.
On Friday, Trump has that there is a “very good chance” the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has lasted over three years, could come to an end after “productive discussions” between a U.S. envoy and Putin.
However, many of Ukraine’s allies are worried that an U.S.-brokered peace deal at this stage may involve significant concessions from Ukraine, including a loss of territory and the end of aspirations to join international organizations such as the EU and NATO.
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