At a big meeting in London, European leaders, Canada, and Turkey promised to keep helping Ukraine. The event happened two days after a tense talk between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Starmer Pushes for Stronger Defense
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Europe must lead in helping Ukraine. But he also said the U.S. is still important.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy had to leave Washington early after his meeting with Trump. But in London, he got a warm welcome. Leaders promised to keep supporting him. The summit, called “Securing Our Future,” took place at Lancaster House. It included leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Romania. Turkey’s foreign minister was also there.
Top officials like European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte joined the talks. Starmer later said that Western allies would keep helping Ukraine defend itself.
Europe’s Role in Helping Ukraine
At a press meeting, Starmer said the UK is ready to send troops and planes if needed. He called for a group of European nations to work together. He said Europe must take the lead. But he also said support from the U.S. is still needed.
The summit came after a rough meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House. Trump and Vice President JD Vance told Zelenskyy he was not thankful enough for past aid. They asked him to find a way to make peace with Russia. But they refused to sign an agreement about Ukraine’s mineral wealth. This worried political experts. They say the U.S. might change its foreign policy.
After the summit, von der Leyen said Ukraine needs a strong military, economy, and energy security. She said Ukraine must become a “steel porcupine.” This means it must be so strong that enemies will not attack. She also said Europe should spend more on defense. She promised to give a full defense plan at an emergency EU meeting in Brussels on March 6.
Fixing U.S.-Europe Relations
Before the summit, Starmer met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at 10 Downing Street. Meloni is close to Trump but said Italy will still support Ukraine. She and Starmer agreed that their countries would stand with Ukraine as long as needed.
Meloni also asked for a big meeting between U.S. and European leaders. She said the West must stay united. If not, all nations will be weaker. She said Italy and the UK could help bring the U.S. and Europe closer.
That morning, Starmer had a video call with Estonian President Alar Karis, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. He promised them strong security support for Ukraine.
Siliņa said Baltic nations must be active in diplomacy. She also confirmed that NATO’s Article 5, which promises defense for all members, is still in place. But she noted that this promise was coming from Starmer, not the U.S.
Nausėda asked the U.S. and Ukraine to restart talks with European leaders. He also supported a European peacekeeping force to help Ukraine. He said keeping the U.S.-Europe alliance strong is very important.
The London summit showed that Europe is serious about helping Ukraine. But there are still worries about U.S. support. Starmer and other leaders said Ukraine needs long-term help. They called for more military and financial support.
Trump’s stance on Ukraine is still uncertain. This makes things harder for European leaders. But they remain firm in their support. The next steps will shape Europe’s defense plans and its ties with Washington. Leaders will keep working to stay united and to give Ukraine the support it needs.
For more updates, visit Euro News 24.