London – European leaders gathered in London on Sunday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after a stormy White House meeting that pushed US-Ukrainian relations to the crisis.
The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, told BBC News on Sunday morning that he had agreed with President Donald Trump and the French president Emmanuel Macron that the United Kingdom and France would work in a Ukraine peace plan to be presented and discussed with the United States, the prime minister added that “one or two other nations could participate in the writing of the plan” fighting “.
In a statement, the Starmer’s office said the prime minister “will intensify his efforts in search of a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine” while organizing Sunday’s summit in the British capital.
Zelenskyy arrived at the United Kingdom on Saturday, directly from his visit to Washington, DC, in which an Oval office meeting with Trump and vice president JD Vance descended to an open discussion against reunited reporters.
Trump and Vance criticized Zelenskyy, falsely accusing Ukraine of starting the 3 -year war with Russia, which began when Moscow’s troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. US leaders also expressed their frustration for a mineral extraction agreement proposed with the United States and Kyiv’s allegation to reach a peace agreement Russian Vladimir.
The Prime Minister of Britain, Keir Starmer, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, at a summit held in Lancaster House in downtown London on March 2, 2025.
Christophe ENA/Pool/AFP through Getty Images
European leaders quickly joined by the Ukrainian leader and his team, although several emphasized the importance of kyiv withheld good and damaged relations with the United States.
“The prime minister has reiterated this weekend his unwavering support for Ukraine and is determined to find a path to put an end to Russia’s illegal war and guarantees Ukraine a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security,” said Starmer’s office in a statement.
Starmer spoke with Zelenskyy and Trump on Friday night after the disastrous DC visit of the Ukrainian leader, who ended with the cancellation of a planned press conference and the Ukrainian delegation that was requested to leave the White House.
Leaders of Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Checia and Romania, as well as the NATO general secretary and the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, traveled to London to participate in the Sunday summit.
The NATO chief Mark Rutte said he was “very positive at today’s meeting.” Rutte said that his “three key points” were that Ukraine needs more immediate support from Europe, that any peace agreement “has to last” with Europe “intensifying” to guarantee its success, in addition to Europe needs to increase defense spending “to keep NATO strong.”
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, wrote in X: “The road to peace is strength. Weakness generates more war. We will support Ukraine, while making an increase in European defense.”
Zelenskyy was the last foreign leader to reach the meeting, the Ukrainian leader received by crowds and Starmer.
Zelenskyy said in a position to X that he celebrated a separate and “productive” meeting with the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni “to develop a joint action plan to end the war with a fair and lasting peace.”
“No one but Putin is interested in the continuation and rapid return of war,” Zelenskyy wrote. “Therefore, it is important to maintain unity around Ukraine and strengthen our country’s position in cooperation with our allies: the countries of Europe and the United States. Ukraine needs peace supported by solid security guarantees.”
The British leader’s statement said the key discussion issues will include greater military support for Ukraine, greater economic pressure on Russia, the need for a “strong” and “lasting” peace agreement that “says that Ukraine is able to deter and defend against future Russian attacks, in addition to planning” strong security guarantees “provided by foreign partners.
“In association with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees, along with the continuous discussions with the United States,” Starmer said in a statement.
Zelenskyy on Saturday thanked Starmer for his “significant and warm” reception in London. The president also confirmed that Ukraine and London signed an agreement that allowed kyiv to access the income generated by frozen Russian financial assets in the United Kingdom
“I thank the people and the United Kingdom government for their tremendous support from the beginning of this war,” Zelenskyy wrote on social networks. “We are happy to have strategic partners and share the same vision of how a safe future should be for everyone.”
Zelenskyy will also meet with King Carlos III on Sunday, the Ukranian leader spokesman confirmed to ABC News.
President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, when US vice president JD Vance reacts at the White House in Washington, on February 28, 2025.
JIM LO SCALZO/POOL/EPA-EFE/SHUTT/JIM LO SCALZO/POOL/EPA-EFE/SHUTT
Rashid Haddou, Victoria Beaule, Oleksiy Pshemyskiy and Tom Soufi Burridge contributed to this report.
