British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has revealed that Britain, France, and Ukraine have agreed to work together on a ceasefire plan, which will soon be presented to the United States. The announcement follows tense discussions among the leaders of these nations, spurred by a controversial encounter between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday.
Starmer, speaking to the BBC, expressed his belief that President Trump is committed to a long-lasting peace in Ukraine, but reiterated that American security guarantees would be necessary for such a peace to be sustainable. This development comes ahead of a major summit of European leaders in London on Sunday, which Starmer is hosting to discuss the ongoing conflict and potential solutions.
The summit had initially been planned to celebrate the diplomatic strides made over the past week, with hopes of advancing peace in Ukraine.
However, the London meeting was overshadowed by the public fallout from the White House meeting, where Trump scolded Zelenskyy, accusing him of being ungrateful for U.S. support. The incident added further tension to the already fraught relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine and has underscored the urgency of European efforts to maintain strong backing for Kyiv.
Peter Ricketts, the former British national security adviser, commented on the situation, telling BBC radio, “There’s a real problem for European leaders to pick up the pieces and try and move forward. It’s going to be a damage limitation exercise.” He added that European leaders would need to rally to support Ukraine in this new diplomatic environment.
The summit at Lancaster House, a historic venue near Buckingham Palace, will include over a dozen European leaders, as well as representatives from NATO and the European Commission. Starmer emphasized that the summit’s goal was to secure a “just and lasting peace” for Ukraine, ensuring its sovereignty and security while protecting broader European interests. He called for unity in Europe, stating, “Now is the time for us to unite to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security, and secure our collective future.”
Zelenskyy has received strong backing from European leaders following the fallout with Trump. Starmer expressed solidarity with Ukraine during a private meeting with Zelenskyy ahead of the summit, saying, “As you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom. We stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take.”
The diplomatic situation has become increasingly complex as Trump, having initiated direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has distanced himself from the ongoing conflict. Trump has called Zelenskyy a dictator and falsely claimed that Ukraine was responsible for starting the war. The uncertainty surrounding U.S. support has prompted European leaders to step up their efforts.
In the wake of these developments, European countries are reconsidering their defence strategies. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated that Europe is facing a “historic test” and must prioritize its defence, proposing an increase in military spending to 3% of GDP. French President Emmanuel Macron also voiced concerns over Europe’s dependence on the U.S. and emphasised the need for greater European sovereignty, calling for more defence spending to ensure the continent’s security.
Starmer has pledged to increase the UK’s military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with other European nations likely to follow suit. Experts, such as Rachel Ellehuus of the Royal United Services Institute, argue that Europe must take the lead in supporting Ukraine and that the European Union should explore using seized Russian assets to fund its efforts. The immediate priority is to keep Ukraine strong enough to negotiate from a position of strength in any future peace talks.
As the summit unfolds, the focus will remain on how Europe can step in to fill the gap left by a potentially neutral U.S. and provide Ukraine with the military and diplomatic support needed to reach a lasting peace.
(Inputs from AP)
