International Desk: The UK will strengthen efforts to build an alliance with France and other countries and will try to include the United States in their support for Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
He also announced a four-point action plan to end the war in Ukraine and protect Ukraine from Russia. After a summit of 18 leaders in London, Starmer said, “We are at a historic juncture today.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders also attended the summit. Zelensky said he felt “strong support” and that the summit “showed the highest level of European unity that has not been seen for a long time.”
At a press conference after the summit, Keir Starmer reported that everyone agreed on four things. And that is—continuing military assistance to Ukraine and increasing economic pressure on Russia. Ensuring Ukraine’s sovereignty in any peace agreement and Ukraine’s participation in any negotiations. The peace agreement aims to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses to deter future aggression. And to build a security alliance for Ukraine and ensure peace thereafter.
Keir Starmer also announced an additional $2 billion in aid to buy 5,000 air defense missiles. The UK had earlier announced £2.2 billion in military aid from the proceeds of Russia’s seizure of assets.
He did not say which countries had agreed to join the proposed ‘Coalition of the Willing’ to protect Ukraine. But he said those who had pledged would act urgently. The UK would keep its promise, he said.
He said Europe must make major progress. The deal would need US support and include Russia. But Moscow would not be given the opportunity to set any conditions.
“We agreed with Trump on the urgent need for peace. Now it’s everyone’s turn to act together,” Starmer said. Asked whether the US under Trump is an unreliable ally, he said, “Nobody wanted to see what happened last Friday. But I don’t think the US is an unreliable ally.” The countries attending the conference are France, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Norway, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Finland, Italy, Spain, and Canada.
