It was an informal summit that brought together in the palace of Lancaster House to a fortnight of European leaders who served as a platform for an initiative that, according to the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmerreceived the accession of “a number of countries”, without detailing which.
The main objective of the meeting, in addition to advancing with truce conversations, was to show an image of unity among European countries in a tension framework. Far from confronting Trump and his vice president, JD Vance, for his disqualifications against Zelenski in the White Housethey advocated Remember the importance of getting the US to offer security guarantees in case there is an agreement with Russia.
After that diplomatic debacle on Friday, Starmer preferred not to pronounce publicly, as many of his European colleagues did, to preserve the role of mediator with the US which now intends to assert with an acceptable plan for the Ukrainians.
Zelenski thanked the call and said: “We feel strong support for Ukraine, to our people, both military and civilians, and our independence. Together, together, We are working in Europe to establish a solid base For cooperation with the United States in pursuit of true peace and guaranteed security, “he said in a message on his social networks.
“We are discussing with our partners the security guarantees and the conditions for a fair peace in Ukraine. A series of important meetings and decisions are being prepared for the near future,” he said.
United Kingdom and France advance in a truce proposal for war in Ukraine
Regarding the initiative that they will promote together with France to reach a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, the Labor leader advanced in dialogue with the BBC that the plan would have “one or two more countries” and subsequently moved to Washington.
Although at the press conference after the Summit he did not realize what are the states that would be willing to collaborate with troops in an eventual peace force in Ukraine, some leaders, such as those of Denmark, Mette Fredriksenor the Canadian, Justin TrudeauThey left the door open to participate in that “coalition of volunteers.”
“Not all countries will feel able to contribute, but That does not mean that we hope sitting. Instead, those willing will intensify the planning now with real urgency. The United Kingdom is prepared to support it with boots on the ground and air planes. Europe must assume the heaviest part, “said Starmer.
He considered that the only way to ensure stable and lasting peace in Ukraine is being able to protect any agreement that can be reachedfor which it will be inevitably needed that the US provides some type of “protection barrier”.
“I spoke last night with Trump. I would not be taking these steps if I did not think it is something that would have a positive result in getting us to move together towards a lasting peace,” he said.
After finishing the summit, French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced in an interview to the newspaper Le Figaro that he and the British prime minister put on the table a “truce in the air, in the sea and in the energy infrastructures” of Ukraine that would last a month.
He also clarified that the deployment of troops from other countries on the ground to maintain peace would be in a second phase of the plan.
“You have to realize that the front line is today the equivalent of the Paris-Budapest line. In case of Alto the Fire, it would be very difficult to verify that the front is respected,” he said.
There will be no European troops on Ukrainian soil “in the coming weeks,” he said. Therefore “the question is how to use this time to try to obtain an accessible truce, with negotiations that will last several weeks and then, once the peace, a deployment,” once signed. “
Macron repeated that Europeans want peace, but “not at any price” or “without guarantees”, and called Europe again Invest massively in defense, with an objective around 3 or 3.5 % of the gross domestic product (GDP).
Europe undertakes to reinforce military aid to Ukraine
At the summit it was agreed reinforce military aid to Ukraine and economic sanctions to Russia, in the face of possible negotiations, as well as Increase Ukrainian defensive capabilities that can deter new attempts for aggression.
As the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said after the meeting: “It is basically of turning Ukraine into an indigestible steel pork for potential invaders.”
Source: Ambito
