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Ukraine will work with Europe to develop a plan to “stop fighting” with Russia before presenting a peace plan to US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Sunday.
Starmer, speaking on the BBC, said: “We have agreed that the United Kingdom, as well as France and perhaps one or two others, will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting. Then we will discuss this plan with the United States. »»
Speaking before a London summit of European leaders, Starmer said that a “European coalition of volunteers”-directed by the United Kingdom and France-would then propose to put troops on the ground in Ukraine to defend any ceasefire.
However, Starmer admitted that he had not received a Trump insurance that the United States would provide a military “net” to such European force – protection that the British chief insists essentially to dissuade Russian president Vladimir Putin from attacking Ukraine again.
Starmer had interviews with the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, then discussed with Trump and French president Emmanuel Macron a potential path after Friday debacle at the White House, when the American president clashed with the Ukrainian chief.
Starmer said that an agreement between European leaders on a security guarantee for Ukraine should be led by a “will to support” with regard to support.
“We have to find these countries in Europe which are ready to be further forward, rather than moving to the rhythm of each member, each European country, which would ultimately be a slow pace,” said Starmer.
“This is not an exclusion – the more there is, the better – but we have to go to a faster and more agile path.”
Starmer also said that he had made an “important step” towards the smoothing of tensions and the conclusion of an agreement between Trump and Zelenskyy during several telephone calls with the two leaders during the weekend.
He added that he was certain that “President Trump wants a lasting peace” and could trust, saying: “He clearly said he would have his back”.
“European countries must do more and provide a security guarantee and this is what I discuss with President Macron and others today. . . But I have always been clear that it will need an American security net, “he said.
Starmer said that the United Kingdom and the United States teams discussed the ways in which Trump could help conclude any peace agreement, although the American president has always indicated that he considers this to be a responsibility of the European nations.
“Many people invite me to choose between the United States on the one hand and the EU on the other. Bad choice, ”he said. “As a country, we have never done this, as a Labor party, we have never done that and we should not do it now.”
He added: “We are in this position to have a special relationship with the United States, having a solid relationship with Europe, we must maintain both.”
Downing Street expects the participants on Sunday’s summit to include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as well as the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte. The Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Hakan Fidan should also attend.
The summit will take place in Lancaster House, a 19th century manor near the Buckingham Palace in central London. Starmer will also hold calls with the leaders of the three Baltic states.
A French official said last week that the first indications were that the United Kingdom and France were likely to provide the greatest contingents of any post-stuff stabilization force, but there may be aid offers from certain other countries.
