UK’s Starmer calls on Europe to step up to secure Ukraine peace

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged European leaders on Sunday to step up their defence efforts to not only help secure peace in Ukraine but stability across the continent at a summit staged as a show of support for President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Just two days after Zelensky clashed with US President Donald Trump and cut his Washington visit short, the Ukrainian leader was welcomed in London by world leaders, who hugged him in turn, and pledged their backing.

Starmer said Europe needed to meet a once-in-a-generation challenge.

“Getting a good outcome for Ukraine is not just a matter of right and wrong, it is vital for the security of every nation here and many others, too,” Starmer said at the beginning of the meeting flanked by Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron.

“Today’s meeting is to unite to discuss how to deliver a just and enduring peace together and to make sure Ukraine can defend and protect against any future Russian attack.”

Trying to revive hope for peace in Ukraine, Starmer said urgent talks with Trump, Zelensky and Macron over the weekend had cemented the idea that a “coalition of the willing” in Europe would need to move quickly to come up with a peace plan to be presented to the United States.

Lacking the weaponry and depth of ammunition stocks of the US, Starmer and Macron are trying to convince Trump that Europe can increase military spending and defend itself, but that Russia will only adhere to a peace deal that comes with the backing of the United States.

Talks with the US have centred on Washington providing a so-called backstop for a European peacekeeping role, possibly in the form of air cover, intelligence and surveillance and a greater as yet unspecified threat if Russian President Vladimir Putin again sought to take more territory.

But crucial to getting any agreement from Trump is for European nations to increase defence spending and signal they would take part in any peacekeeping role - something Starmer acknowledged was difficult to get unanimity on.

“The UK and France are the most advanced on the thinking of this and that is why President Macron and I are working on this plan, which we will then discuss with the US,” he said, adding he did not think Zelensky had done anything wrong on Friday.

“I do think we’ve got to probably get to a coalition of the willing now and move this forward.”

‘UNCOMFORTABLE VIEWING’

Trump has upended US policy on the three-year-old war since he returned to the White House in January, casting doubt on its military and political support for Ukraine - and Europe - and ending the isolation of Moscow.

Starmer described watching the spat between Zelensky and Trump in the Oval Office as uncomfortable viewing, but was keen to push the conversation forward by offering himself as a go-between for Europe and the United States.

In contrast, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Trump’s “common sense” approach and accused European countries of seeking to prolong the conflict by propping up Zelensky “with their bayonets in the form of peacekeeping units”.

In a sign of the still-fractious relations between Washington and Kyiv, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz told CNN on Sunday that the US needs a Ukrainian leader who is willing to secure a lasting peace with Russia, but that it is not clear Zelensky is prepared to do so.

Starmer will ask leaders on Sunday what more they can provide in aid. After he announced an increase in Britain’s defence budget, he will commit to providing further capacity, training and support to Kyiv.

European leaders reacted to the extraordinary bust-up in the White House by expressing support for Ukraine, and some leaders - such as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte - will try to encourage Zelensky to return to talks with Trump.

Zelensky’s row with Trump on Friday ended a week when Europe had appeared to be in a better position in its drive to encourage Trump to continue to offer support to Ukraine after cordial visits to Washington by Macron and Starmer.

Both had pressed the US leader to offer “a backstop” to a potential European peacekeeping force in the event of a deal between Kyiv and Moscow. While they had failed to secure a promise from Trump, they were relieved that he had not rejected the idea.

But the rest of Europe is a long way from falling in behind the French and British leaders’ plans to safeguard a peace deal and Starmer, Macron and Rutte will hope Sunday’s summit will go some way to rallying other nations to make firm commitments.

European leaders are also expected again to press for peace talks to include Ukraine, to strengthen Kyiv’s position and to secure the necessary security guarantees to ensure a long-lasting peace and to deter any future Russian attack.

For now, most leaders will want to take down the temperature.