Britain is hosting a summit of European leaders on Sunday to shore up support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with President Donald Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.
The London meeting has now taken on greater importance in defending the war-torn ally and boosting the continent’s defenses.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is hosting the leaders of more than a dozen countries and other officials, embraced Zelenskyy on his arrival in London on Saturday, saying he is determined to find an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here’s the latest:
Starmer says the UK, France and Ukraine will draft a ceasefire plan to present to the US
The British prime minister says the Unted Kingdom, France and Ukraine have agreed to work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States.
Starmer says the plan emerged after talks among the four countries’ leaders following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s spat with President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday.
The prime minster told the BBC he believes the U.S. president wants a durable peace in Ukraine. He repeated his assertion that American security guarantees will be needed to make it stick.
London summit welcomes Europe leaders after stunning Oval Office spat
The meeting at Lancaster House, a 200-year-old elegant mansion near Buckingham Palace, follows a charm offensive last week to engage with Trump to tilt his allegiances toward Europe.
That offensive, however, devolved into a meltdown on live television from the Oval Office on Friday with Trump's extraordinary scolding of Zelenskyy.
It seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping fend off, and conclude, Russia’s three-year onslaught on Ukraine.
Sunday's summit will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.
The summit on Sunday will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.
NATO chief says he told Zelenskyy to restore relationship with Trump
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he had to “find a way to restore his relationship with the American president” after the two leaders engaged in an extraordinary meltdown at the White House on Friday.
Rutte told the BBC on Saturday that he told Zelenskyy that “he really had to respect what President Trump has done so far for Ukraine.” He was referring to the first Trump administration’s decision in 2019 to supply Ukraine with Javelin antitank missiles that Ukraine used to deadly effect against Russian tanks in the first wave of the 2022 invasion.
Calling the Friday meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy “unfortunate,” Rutte said he “knew as a fact that the American administration is extremely invested in making sure that Ukraine gets to a durable peace” with Russia.
Rutte said he expected European leaders, who were meeting in London on Sunday, to help secure a future peace deal by providing Ukraine with security guarantees.
