LONDON (news agencies) — It was supposed to cap a week of whirlwind diplomacy advancing the prospect of peace in Ukraine.
But a summit of European leaders on Sunday has been overshadowed by the extraordinary scolding by U.S. President Donald Trump of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday for being ungrateful for U.S. support. The London meeting has now taken on greater importance in defending the war-torn ally and shoring up the continent’s defenses.
“There’s a real problem for European leaders to pick up the pieces and try and move forward,” Peter Ricketts, the former British national security adviser, told BBC radio on Saturday. “It’s going to be a damage limitation exercise. It’s going to have to be an exercise in where do we go from here?”
The meeting at Lancaster House, a 200-year-old elegant mansion near Buckingham Palace, follows a charm offensive last week to engage with Trump at the White House to put Ukraine at the center of negotiations and tilt his allegiances toward Europe.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is hosting the leaders of more than a dozen countries and other officials, said he is determined to find an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
“We have an opportunity to come together to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that secures their sovereignty and security,” Starmer said in advance. “Now is the time for us to unite in order to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security, and secure our collective future.”
The summit will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania. The Turkish foreign minister, NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council will also attend.
Zelenskyy received broad support from leaders across Europe after the White House fiasco, which was exceptional for featuring an attack on an ally — and because it was broadcast on live television.
Starmer embraced Zelenskyy when he arrived Saturday for a private meeting — a day before a get-together had been scheduled before the summit.
“As you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom,” Starmer said. “We stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take.”
Europe has been uneasy since Trump initiated direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had been isolated by most Western leaders since invading Ukraine three years ago. The scramble to remain relevant and protect European interests as their once stalwart ally appeared to be cozying up to Putin was even more troubling when Trump called Zelenskyy a dictator and falsely said Ukraine started the war.
Meetings in recent days had provided some hope — until Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House.
Visits to the Oval Office by French President Emmanuel Macron, who had declared his visit a “turning point,” and Starmer were seen as steps in the right direction. The meetings were cordial and Trump even took a gentler tone toward Ukraine though he would not commit to providing U.S. security guarantees and maintained Europe would need to provide peacekeeping troops.
Within 12 hours of Starmer’s return from Washington, the talk of peace seemed to collapse as Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy for challenging Trump’s assertions that Russian President Vladimir Putin could be trusted.
“Starmer did an impressive job of asserting Europe’s agency in the war on Ukraine and conveying to President Trump that Europe is willing and able to take a leading role in implementing any credible peace deal,” said Rachel Ellehuus, director-general of Royal United Services Institute, a defense and security think tank. “Unfortunately, Friday’s White House meeting was a major step backward.”
Ukraine can no longer count on military or political support from the U.S. after Trump declared himself neutral in negotiations, Ellehuus said. She said Europe needs to step in and could release some 200 billion euros ($207 billion) in seized Russian assets to help fund that effort.
“The immediate goal of the meetings in London must be to keep Ukraine in the fight so it can negotiate from a maximum position of strength,” she said.
Starmer pledged this week to boost military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027. Other European nations may follow suit.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Saturday that Europe faces a historic test and has to care for itself. He said European countries have to increase their arms spending to reach at least 3% of GDP.
“If we don’t increase our effort fast enough and let the aggressor dictate its conditions we won’t end up well,” he said.
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