Sir Keir Starmer has said Europe “must do the heavy lifting” as he seized control of Ukraine peace talks from Donald Trump.
The prime minister said now was “not a moment for more talk, it is time to act” after hosting a summit of 19 leaders from Europe and Nato at Lancaster House, London, with Volodymyr Zelensky to defend Ukraine from further Russian aggression.
Sir Keir told a press conference that the UK, France and others had formed “a coalition of the willing” to put together a plan for peace which they will present to Mr Trump – taking away the initiative from the US president who had wanted to impose his own deal.
He also announced a £1.6bn finance deal to help Ukraine buy 5,000 missiles in a show that the UK will continue to support the Ukraine president’s war efforts.
It came on the same day that President Zelensky met King Charles in a highly unusual political gesture by the monarch, seemingly designed to send a clear signal to the US president after he berated the Ukrainian leader in the Oval Office on Friday.
The prime minister said: “We are at a crossroads in history today. This is not a moment for more talk. It’s time to act. Time to step up and lead and to unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace.”
“Not every nation will feel able to contribute but that can’t mean that we sit back. Instead, those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency. The UK is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others. Europe must do the heavy lifting,” he added.
But he insisted leaders would work with the US and any peace deal must have “strong US backing” to succeed.
Leading European figures made it clear that the events of last week were a turning point, with European democracies needing to rearm and no longer rely on America.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, a former German defence minister who has backed the idea of an EU army, announced she will present a plan to “rearm” Europe in the coming days.
Speaking to broadcasters outside Lancaster House following the conclusion of Sunday’s summit, Ms Von der Leyen said that “we have to put Ukraine in a position of strength” so “it has the means to fortify and protect itself” in economic and military terms.
She added that “therefore, the focus is not only on the military supply but also, for example, securing their energy system”.
The commission president also made it clear that the EU will accept no deal which cedes Ukrainian territory to Russia that was seized since its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Meanwhile, new Nato chief and former Dutch PM Mark Rutte said it was a “very good meeting” which saw European countries “stepping up, first of all, to make sure that Ukraine has got what it needs to stay in the fight as long as it has to continue”.
He went on: “What we also see is European countries really ramping up to help with security guarantees for the moment when a peace deal would be struck. Obviously, there is no deal yet, there is no ceasefire yet, but we have to prepare for that moment and [make] sure that European countries are willing to help out with the security guarantees.
“And here I really saw quite a number of countries at this table, of course, the initiative being taken by the United Kingdom and France, but others wanting to help, I think that’s important.”
Addressing journalists afterwards, Sir Keir insisted that Mr Trump and the US “are reliable partners” and reiterated that any successful “lasting peace” will require America “having our backs”.
The prime minister said that he does not accept the US is an “unreliable ally”. He made it clear he had been on the phone to Mr Trump since the row with Mr Zelensky and hinted that the US president was on board with his proposals.
He told the press conference: “There are no two countries as closely aligned as our two countries and our defence, our security and intelligence is intertwined in a way no two other countries are, so it’s an important and reliable ally for us.”
But he repeated his calls for European democracies to take back control of the defence of the continent against the belligerent threat posed by Putin’s Russia.
As Mr Zelensky flew to see the King at Sandringham, Sir Keir repeated his vow that the UK would continue to back Ukraine.
Sir Keir told the press conference that “every nation must contribute” in the best way it can and a number of “important steps” were agreed at the meeting.
He said: “First, we will keep the military aid flowing and keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine now.
“Second, we agreed that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the table.
“Third, in the event of a peace deal, we will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities to deter any future invasion.
“Fourth, we will go further to develop a coalition of the willing to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee the peace.”
Among the attendees at the summit were Mr Zelensky, and French president Emmanuel Macron, who both met Mr Trump at the White House this week.
Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Ms von der Leyen and Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez were also seated around the table of leaders at the gathering in central London.
Sir Keir said leaders had agreed to “meet again very soon” to keep up work on the plans.
