By Brian Melley | Associated Press
LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Sunday Europe was at a crossroads in history and must do the heavy lifting to defend itself as world leaders met in London to discuss ways of working together to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Starmer pledged to supply more arms to defend Ukraine, announcing that the U.K. will use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) in export financing to supply 5,000 air defense missiles.
His call for European allies to increase their arms spending to shore up their own defenses and Ukraine’s was not a sign that he thought the United States had become an unreliable ally, he said. No two countries are closely aligned than the U.K. and the U.S., Starmer said.
“One thing our history tells us is that if there is conflict in Europe, it will wash up on our shores,” he said.
The summit comes two days after U.S. support for Ukraine appeared in greater jeopardy after President Donald Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said he wasn’t grateful enough for U.S. support.
“Even while Russia talks about peace, they are continuing their relentless aggression,” Starmer said at the outset of the meeting.
Starmer, flanked by Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron, said the three of them had agreed to work on a peace plan to take to the U.S., which has discussed brokering a peace deal.
“To support peace in our continent, and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing,” he said.
The meeting had been overshadowed by the extraordinary scolding of Zelenskyy by Trump.
Starmer said he’s focused on being a bridge to restore peace talks, whose collapse he used as an opportunity to re-engage with Trump, Zelenskyy and Macron rather than “ramp up the rhetoric.”
Starmer says he trusts Trump but not Putin
Sunday’s summit included talks on establishing a European military force to be sent to Ukraine to underpin a ceasefire. Starmer said it would involve “a coalition of the willing.”
Starmer told the BBC he does not trust Russian President Vladimir Putin but does trust Trump. “Do I believe Donald Trump when he says he wants lasting peace? The answer to that is yes,” he said.
Starmer said there are “intense discussions” to get a security guarantee from the U.S.
“If there is to be a deal, if there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended, because the worst of all outcomes is that there is a temporary pause and then (Russian President Vladimir) Putin comes again,” Starmer said.
The three essentials Starmer listed for a successful peace deal were: arming the Ukrainians to put them in a position of strength; including a European element to guarantee security; and providing a “U.S. backstop,” to prevent Putin from breaking promises.
Starmer hosted the meeting at Lancaster House, a 200-year-old mansion near Buckingham Palace, following a charm offensive last week to persuade Trump to put Ukraine at the center of negotiations and tilt his allegiances toward Europe.
Leaders from Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania were at the summit. The Turkish foreign minister, NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council were also in attendance.
European leaders are backing Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy received broad support from leaders across Europe after the White House fiasco, an exceptional attack on an ally broadcast on live television.
Starmer embraced Zelenskyy as he arrived at the meeting Sunday.
Europe has been anxious since Trump initiated direct peace talks with Putin, who had been isolated by most Western leaders since invading Ukraine three years ago. The scramble to remain relevant and protect European interests as their once stalwart ally appeared to be cozying up to Putin was even more troubling when Trump called Zelenskyy a dictator and falsely said Ukraine started the war.
Meetings in recent days had provided some hope — until Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House.
Visits to the Oval Office by Macron, who had declared his visit a “turning point,” and Starmer were seen as steps in the right direction. The meetings were cordial and Trump even took a gentler tone toward Ukraine, though he would not commit to providing U.S. security guarantees and maintained Europe would need to provide peacekeeping troops.
Within 12 hours of Starmer’s return from Washington, the talk of peace seemed to collapse as Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy for challenging Trump’s assertions that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted.
“Starmer did an impressive job of asserting Europe’s agency in the war on Ukraine and conveying to President Trump that Europe is willing and able to take a leading role in implementing any credible peace deal,” said Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank. “Unfortunately, Friday’s White House meeting was a major step backward.”
Ukraine can no longer count on military or political support from the U.S. after Trump declared himself neutral in negotiations, Ellehuus said. She said Europe needs to step in and could release some 200 billion euros ($207 billion) in seized Russian assets to help fund that effort.
European leaders pledge to increase military spending
Starmer pledged this week to boost military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027. Other European nations may follow suit.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Saturday that Europe faces a historic test and has to look after itself. He said European countries have to increase their arms spending to reach at least 3% of GDP.
“If we don’t increase our effort fast enough and let the aggressor dictate its conditions, we won’t end up well,” he said.
Macron, who said it was legitimate for the U.S. to shift its focus to dealing with China and Asia, also called for more defense spending.
“We should have woken up earlier,” Macron said. “I’ve been saying for years that we need a more sovereign, more united, more independent Europe.”
Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London, Karel Janicek in Prague and Samuel Petrequin contributed.