British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that European leaders have agreed to draft a Ukraine peace plan to present to the United States—a key move aimed at securing Washington’s security guarantees, which Kyiv views as essential for deterring Russian aggression.
The agreement came at a summit in London, convened just two days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s contentious meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington ended abruptly. In response, European leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and pledged to ramp up assistance.
As part of the discussions, the leaders also agreed on the need to increase defense spending, signaling to Trump that Europe is capable of bolstering its own security. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested that the EU could relax debt restrictions to facilitate the necessary military investments.
Starmer, who welcomed a visibly shaken Zelensky with a warm embrace upon his arrival, emphasized the urgency of action. He announced that the UK, France, Ukraine, and other allied nations would form a “coalition of the willing” to draft a peace proposal for the U.S.
“This is not a moment for more talk. It’s time to act—time to step up, lead, and unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace,” Starmer declared.
Although the details of the proposal remain undisclosed, French President Emmanuel Macron revealed in an interview with Le Figaro before the summit that the plan would include a one-month ceasefire, covering air and sea attacks but excluding ground combat. He also suggested that European troops could be deployed if a broader peace agreement were reached, though it remains unclear whether other nations have endorsed this provision.
Following the summit, Zelensky expressed confidence in Europe’s commitment to supporting Ukraine.
“There will be diplomacy for the sake of peace,” he said in his nightly video address. “And for the sake of us all being together—Ukraine, all of Europe, and definitely, definitely America.”
Earlier in the day, Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s firm stance against territorial concessions to Russia in any peace deal. He also reiterated Kyiv’s interest in signing a minerals agreement with the U.S., despite the tensions surrounding his Washington visit.
With European leaders rallying behind Kyiv and a new diplomatic initiative taking shape, attention now turns to Washington, where the Biden administration and Trump’s team will face mounting pressure to clarify the U.S. position on Ukraine’s future.
