At a pivotal London summit this Sunday, over a dozen European heads of state and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came together to stand in unwavering support of Kyiv. The leaders pledged to bolster security expenditures and form a robust coalition dedicated to defending any truce established in Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a comprehensive four-step plan aimed at ensuring lasting peace in Ukraine. The strategy involves continued military aid to Ukraine amidst ongoing conflict, escalating economic pressure on Russia, safeguarding Ukraine's sovereignty and security by involving them directly in any peace negotiations, deterring future Russian invasions should a peace deal materialize, and creating a \"coalition of the willing\" to uphold peace and defend Ukraine.
\"Europe must do the heavy lifting,\" Starmer emphasized, highlighting the necessity of U.S. backing for the agreement's success. \"Let me be clear, we agree with U.S. President Donald Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together,\" he stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lauded the summit, noting that European unity was \"at an extremely high level not seen for a long time.\" In a Telegram post, Zelenskyy remarked, \"We are all working together in Europe to find a basis for cooperation with America for true peace and guaranteed security.\"
Multiple leaders underscored the importance of increased defense spending, a move that could pave the way for the U.S. to provide a security guarantee in the event of peace. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, remarked to reporters, \"After a long time of underinvestment, it is now of utmost importance to step up defense investment for a prolonged period of time.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
