UK PM Starmer to host high-stakes Ukraine ‘summit’ with EU, Nato leaders

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Ahead of the main summit, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a morning call with Baltic nations, before welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street to discuss the war with Russia, it said on Friday. — Reuters pic

LONDON, Feb 28 — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has invited more than a dozen European and EU leaders to a Sunday summit to “drive forward” action on Ukraine and security, his office said.

Ahead of the main summit, Starmer will chair a morning call with Baltic nations, before welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Downing Street to discuss the war with Russia, it said on Friday.

“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,” his office said.

Leaders from around continental Europe including France, Germany, Denmark and Italy as well as Turkey, Nato and the European Union have been invited to the summit in London later on Sunday, his office added.

Fresh from his Thursday talks with US President Donald Trump in the White House, Starmer has also invited the leaders of Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania to the summit.

Nato chief Mark Rutte as well as EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa are also due to attend.

Starmer will host one-on-one talks at Downing Street with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni before the summit starts.

His office said the meeting would build on the Paris talks hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this month and focus on “strengthening Ukraine’s position now — including ongoing military support and increased economic pressure on Russia”.

‘Next steps’

A rift has emerged between the Italian and French leaders over proposals spearheaded by London and Paris to send a European “reassurance force” of fewer than 30,000 soldiers to protect Ukraine in the event the war.

According to the Corriere della Sera newspaper, Meloni demanded to know who Macron was speaking for when he raised the issue during his meeting on Monday with Trump.

Macron replied he was only speaking on behalf of France.

Meloni’s right-wing coalition government, under pressure from the far-right which is fiercely against sending any Italian troops to Ukraine, has been calling for a UN mandate on the proposals.

But the coalition has been discussing the idea of joining a Nato peacekeeping force, according to Italian media reports.

Downing Street said Sunday’s summit would again stress the need for a “strong lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace” and discuss “next steps on planning for strong security guarantees”.

Starmer, while insisting again that Ukraine must be part of any negotiations to end the three-year war with Russia, will also recognise “the need for Europe to play its part on defence and step up for the good of the collective security”.

During Thursday’s White House talks, Trump took a softer tone on any truce talks, but refused to give firm commitments on the US security guarantees Europe desperately wants.

Trump, who has alarmed European capitals with his sudden pivot towards Russia, said there had been “a lot of progress” towards a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine and that negotiations were at a crucial stage. — AFP