Keir Starmer stated that Europe is at a pivotal moment in its history and urgent action is required to support Ukraine in the pursuit of a lasting peace, as he confirmed the UK and France will lead a united effort to end the hostilities.
Following a pivotal defense summit in London, Starmer emphasized that any ceasefire plan must be implemented in conjunction with the US to provide a deterrence to Russia, as he continued efforts to mend strained relations between Ukraine and Washington.
Starmer unveiled an agreement that would allow Ukraine to utilize £1.6bn in export finance to procure over 5,000 air defense missiles, with production in Belfast, thus creating job opportunities, as part of the government’s strategy to boost economic growth.
In the last 48 hours, the prime minister has been deeply engaged in diplomacy following the contentious White House meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump, which resulted in harsh criticism of the Ukrainian president by Trump and his deputy, JD Vance.
The defense summit, which saw the participation of major European powers as well as Canada and Turkey, aimed to foster a unified European response to the shifting transatlantic consensus on Ukraine and gained additional urgency after the diplomatic fracas.
Starmer asserted that Britain and other European countries are ready to provide both military personnel and aerial support as an effective deterrent to Russia.
“It’s time for us to step forward and unify around a new plan for a just and enduring peace,” he told the press. “If we wish to maintain peace, we must be ready to defend it.”
Starmer stated that to prevent Vladimir Putin from violating any ceasefire with further assaults on Ukraine, security guarantees from the US would be necessary, with British officials indicating that air, logistical, and intelligence support would be crucial.
To ensure the success of this endeavor, Starmer stressed the importance of strong US support, following his meeting with President Trump. He made it clear that both parties share the objective of a durable peace and now need to work together to achieve it.
The leaders at the defense summit, held at Lancaster House in central London, agreed to continue providing military aid to Ukraine, including after any ceasefire, to ensure Kyiv remains strong in deterring future attacks from Russia. Additionally, other nations are planning to increase their defense budgets.
Starmer highlighted the need for any agreement to be backed by strength, emphasizing the contribution of every nation in bringing their unique capabilities and support to the table, and all nations taking responsibility to act and share the burden.
The prime minister also mentioned that the leaders have agreed to heightened economic pressure on Russia, with the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, set to sign a £2.3bn loan agreement for Kyiv to purchase additional weapons.
She is also looking to adjust the remit of the £27.8bn national wealth fund to allocate resources for defense projects in addition to infrastructure. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, acknowledged that European leaders recognize the urgency of “rearming” the continent and will present a plan on Thursday.
Mark Rutte, the NATO secretary general, stated that Europe is ramping up its efforts to ensure Ukraine can continue to defend itself if necessary, and has been discussing potential security guarantees while also increasing defense budgets.
Subsequent to the summit, Zelenskyy met with King Charles at Sandringham, with this gesture interpreted as an effort to treat the Ukrainian president with the same precedence granted to Trump, who was previously invited to a second state visit to the UK by Starmer.
