UK Prime Minister's Office announced a summit on Ukraine, expecting more than ten leaders

, 28 February 2025, 09:37

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has invited more than ten European leaders to a summit on Ukraine and security to be held on 2 March.

As reported by AFP, leaders from across continental Europe, including France, Germany, Denmark and Italy, as well as Türkiye, NATO and the European Union, have been invited to the summit.

"The prime minister will use the summit to drive forward European action on Ukraine – signalling our collective unwavering support to securing a just and enduring peace, and a lasting deal, that ensures Ukraine's future sovereignty and security," Starmer's office stated.

Starmer has also invited the leaders of the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania to the summit following his talks with President Trump on 27 February at the White House.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, EU President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council António Costa are also expected to attend.

Prior to the main summit, Starmer will reportedly hold a morning phone call with the Baltic states and then meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Downing Street to discuss the war unleashed by Russia.

Before the summit, Starmer is also scheduled to host one-on-one talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Downing Street.

The UK PM’s office said the meeting would build on talks held in Paris and hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month and would concentrate on "strengthening Ukraine's position now – including ongoing military support and increased economic pressure on Russia".

The meeting will also reiterate the need for a "strong lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace" and discuss "next steps on planning for strong security guarantees".

Starmer will also insist that Ukraine must be part of any negotiations to end the three-year full-scale war unleashed by Russia and will also acknowledge "the need for Europe to play its part on defence and step up for the good of the collective security".

During his meeting with Starmer on 27 February, US President Donald Trump refused to guarantee that the US would come to the aid of a potential UK "peacekeeping force" in Ukraine in the event of a Russian attack.

According to media reports, the UK and France have prepared a plan to deploy up to 30,000 European troops in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the United States expressed support for the European mission but refused to participate in it directly.