British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that European leaders have agreed to develop a comprehensive peace plan for Ukraine, which will be presented to the United States as part of efforts to secure vital security guarantees for Kyiv in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
The decision was reached during a high-level summit in London, held just two days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s tense meeting with former US President Donald Trump, which led to Zelensky cutting short his visit to Washington.
At the summit, European leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, pledging to increase defense spending to demonstrate Europe’s commitment to its own security — a move aimed at convincing Trump that the continent is capable of defending itself.
With many European nations facing economic pressures, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also suggested loosening fiscal rules to allow for greater defense spending without violating existing debt regulations.
The proposed peace plan is expected to play a crucial role in shaping future security agreements between Ukraine, Europe, and the United States.
After Trump's shouting match with Zelensky in the Oval Office raised fears of the US pulling support for Ukraine and instead imposing a peace plan negotiated with Russia, Europe is scrambling to ensure Kyiv is not squeezed out of any talks.
To do so, several leaders said they must increase defense spending - something that could help bring Trump on side to offer a US security guarantee in the event of peace.