British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a strategic plan aimed at bringing an end to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, emphasizing the leadership role Europe must take while ensuring robust support from the United States.
This initiative emerged from urgent discussions among European leaders in London, following recent tensions between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.
The emergency summit, attended by leaders from over a dozen countries, focused on establishing a clear roadmap for peace in Ukraine, which is now entering its third year of conflict with Russia. The gathering also aimed to strengthen Ukraine’s ties with the U.S. amid its military involvement overseas.
Starmer asserted that European nations must take on the “heavy lifting” needed to achieve a lasting peace agreement and insisted that the U.K. should spearhead this initiative. He declared, “This effort must have strong U.S. backing.”
In a press conference on Sunday, Starmer stated, “Through my discussions over recent days, we’ve agreed that the U.K., France, and others will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting. Then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States and take it forward together.”
UK Prioritizes Increase in Military Support for Ukraine
Starmer outlined four key priorities to guide this proposal, starting with empowering Ukraine to negotiate from a position of strength. To facilitate this, the United Kingdom plans to enhance its financial support to Ukraine with a loan of 2.26 billion British pounds (approximately $2.84 billion). Notably, these funds will come from profits generated by frozen Russian assets, not from British taxpayers. Additionally, Ukraine will access 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) in U.K. export finance for the procurement of over 5,000 air defense missiles.
Second, it is crucial to maintain Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, Starmer noted. The third objective is to equip Ukraine with dependable defensive capabilities to safeguard against potential future invasions.
The fourth goal is to foster a “coalition of the willing,” wherein countries willing to provide military support and troops for maintaining long-term peace in Ukraine can join efforts. Starmer mentioned that “a number of countries” have expressed interest, allowing them to announce their participation as they see fit.
Starmer emphasized that while not every nation will be able to contribute, those who can must engage actively. He stated, “Instead, those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency,” which includes the U.K. preparing to deploy soldiers and aircraft.
He underscored that the foundation of this coalition would rely on U.S. involvement, albeit without direct troop deployment. “That is why I spoke to President Trump last night before we develop the work on this plan,” Starmer revealed.
Responding to the recent incident where Trump criticized Zelenskyy, Starmer asserted, “Nobody wanted to see what happened last Friday, but I do not accept that the U.S. is an unreliable ally. The U.S. has been a reliable ally to the U.K. for many decades and continues to be.”
Starmer also highlighted the urgency of assisting Ukraine in achieving long-term peace, cautioning against any “weak deal” that could allow Russia to violate agreements easily. He reiterated that defending Ukraine is crucial to prevent a wider conflict, stating, “The way to ensure that stability is to defend a deal in Ukraine, because our history shows that conflict in Europe can directly impact our shores.”
