British Prime Minister Keir Starmer gathered its European counterparts Sunday to get borders and throw all weight back Ukraine While announcing the schemes of a plan to end the Russian war.
« All nations must contribute to the best way they can, providing different capabilities and support to the table, but they are all responsible for acting, increasing their own part of the load, » he said.
Starmer’s exhortation to 18 leaders who need to make heavy uprisings for their own security comes two days after the Ukraine United States support appeared in Jeopardy when President Donald Trump went out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy And he said he was not grateful enough for the United States support.
The meeting had been overshadowed by the extraordinary record. Starmer seized the opportunity as part of his wider effort to overcome the gap between Europe and the United States, and also to save what had seemed to be the beginning of a peace process before the Friday’s rupture.
Starmer said he had worked with France and Ukraine with the plan to end the war and that the group of leaders, mostly in Europe, has according to four things.
The steps towards peace would do: keep Kiev’s help and maintain economic pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine’s hand; Ensure that Ukraine is at the negotiation table and any peace must guarantee its sovereignty and security; Continue with Ukraine to deter the future invasion.
An “surrounding coalition”
Finally, he said they would develop a « coalition of the arranged » to defend Ukraine and guarantee peace.
« Not all nations will feel able to contribute, but this cannot mean that we sit, » he said. « Instead, those who are ready to intensify planning now with real urgency. The United Kingdom is ready to support it with ground boots and airplanes, along with others. »
Said any plan would require strong support in the United States. He did not specify what this meant, though he told the BBC before the summit that there was « heavy discussions » to obtain a US security guarantee
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« If there is an agreement, if there is a stop of the fighting, this agreement must be defended, because the worst of all the results is that there is a temporary pause and then (Russian President Vladimir) Putin is again, » said Starmer.
Starmer said that he would then bring a more formal plan in the United States and work with Trump.
Two diplomatic steps forward, one back
Europe has been restless since Trump has begun direct peace conversations with Putin, who had been isolated by most western leaders since he invaded Ukraine three years ago. The split to stay relevant and protect European interests, as his ally was once he seemed to approach Putin, was even more worrying when Trump called Zelenskyy a dictator and said that Ukraine began the war.
Last week meetings had provided some hope, until Zelenskyy’s trip to the White House.
The visits to the Oval Office of the French President Emmanuel Macron, who had declared his visit as a « turning point », and Starmer was seen as steps in the right direction. The meetings were cordial and Trump even took a softer tone to Ukraine, although he did not commit to providing guarantees of North -American security and maintaining Europe should provide peace maintenance troops.
At twelve hours of Washington Starmer’s return, peace conversation seemed to collapse -as Vice President JD Vance provoked Zelenskyy to challenge Trump’s claims that Putin could be trusted.
During a press conference, Starmer rejected the suggestion that the United States was no longer a reliable ally.
« There are no two countries as closely aligned as our two countries and our defense, our security and intelligence are intertwined so that there are no other countries, so it is an important and reliable ally for us, » he said.
Starmer does not trust Putin
Starmer told the BBC before the summit that he does not trust Russian President Vladimir Putin, but trusts Trump.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said he regretted what happened to Zelenskyy in Washington. Meloni is a strong Ukraine supporter and, as head of a far -right party, is a natural ally of Trump. He was the only European leader to attend his inauguration.
He told journalists after the meeting that Europe must have focused on its common goals and that « dividing the West would be disastrous for everyone. »
« We have to work to strengthen our unit and I think Italy can play a role, not only in their own interest, but also in everyone, » he said. « I don’t want to consider any other scenario. »
Starmer hosted the meeting at Lancaster House, a 200 -year mansion near Buckingham Palace, after his offensive Charm with Macron to convince Trump to put Ukraine in the center of negotiations and tilted his alliances to Europe.
The leaders of Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania were at the summit. The Turkish Foreign Minister, the Secretary General of NATO and the Presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, also attended.
Convert Ukraine into a « steel pig »
Starmer used sweeping terms to describe the challenge ahead, saying that Europe was at the junction of its history and that it needed to intensify to find « a moment at a time of generation. »
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, left the meeting and said that he would present a plan to « rearmar Europe » to strengthen the security of the block after a long period of investment.
As for the future of Ukraine devastated by the war, von der Leyen said he needs security guarantees.
« We have to put Ukraine in a position of force, so that it has the means to fortify and protect -, » said Von der Leyen. « It is basically making Ukraine an indigestible steel pig for possible invaders. »
Last week, Starmer pledged to increase military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027. Other European nations could follow the same.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Saturday that Europe faces a historical test and should take care of itself. He said that European countries must increase weapons expenses to reach at least 3% of GDP.
« If we do not increase our effort fast enough and let the aggressor dictate his conditions, we will not end well, » he said.
Starmer pledged to supply more weapons to defend Ukraine, announcing that the United Kingdom will use 1.6 billion pounds ($ 2 billion) in financing exports to supply 5,000 air defense missiles.
–The writers of Associated Press Jill Lawless in London, Colleen Barry in Milan, Karel Janicek in Prague and Samuel Petrequin.
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