In a significant display of solidarity, Western leaders, including more than a dozen European heads of state and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, convened in London on Sunday to support Kyiv. The summit focused on enhancing security measures and forming a coalition dedicated to upholding a potential truce in Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined a comprehensive four-step plan aimed at guaranteeing peace in Ukraine. The plan includes maintaining military aid to Ukraine amidst ongoing conflicts, intensifying economic pressures on Russia, ensuring Ukraine's sovereignty and security are upheld during negotiations, deterring any future invasions by Russia should a peace deal be reached, and establishing a 'coalition of the willing' to defend Ukraine and maintain peace within the country.
Starmer emphasized the critical role of the United States in this endeavor, stating, \"Europe must do the heavy lifting. Let me be clear, we agree with U.S. President Donald Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together.\"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lauded the unity among European nations, describing it as \"at an extremely high level not seen for a long time.\" He added, \"We are all working together in Europe in order to find a basis for cooperation with America for true peace and guaranteed security,\" in a post-summit message on Telegram.
The summit also saw several leaders advocating for increased defense spending. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, highlighted the necessity of bolstering defense investments, noting, \"After a long time of underinvestment, it is now of utmost importance to step up defense investment for a prolonged period of time.\" This move is aimed at securing U.S. support for a security guarantee in the event of a peace agreement.
