UK and EU leaders join forces to draft Ukraine peace plan to take to US!
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that European leaders had agreed to draw up a peace plan for Ukraine to present to the United States, a vital step for Washington to be able to provide security guarantees that Kiev says are essential to deterring Russia.
At a summit in London, just two days after Volodymyr Zelensky clashed with US President Donald Trump and cut short a visit to Washington, European leaders offered strong support to the Ukrainian president and promised to do more to help his nation.
European leaders agreed they must spend more on defense to show Trump that the continent can defend itself, and the head of the European Commission suggested the bloc could ease rules limiting debt levels.
Starmer, who greeted a visibly shaken Zelenskiy with a warm hug on Saturday, said Britain, Ukraine, France and several other countries would form a "coalition of the willing" and draft a peace plan to take to Trump. "This is not a time for more talk. This is the time for action. Time to rise up and lead and unite around a new plan for a just and lasting peace," Starmer said.
The leaders did not provide details of their plan. Ahead of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron told Le Figaro newspaper that the plan would include a one-month ceasefire that would apply to air and naval strikes, but not to ground fighting.
The European troops would be deployed if a more substantial peace deal was reached, he said. It was not clear whether other nations had agreed to the terms. Zelensky said after the meeting that he left London with "clear support from Europe" and a willingness to cooperate.
"There will be diplomacy for the sake of peace," he said in his late-night video address. " And for the sake of all of us together - Ukraine, all of Europe and, of course, America. " Earlier, Zelensky told reporters that Ukraine would not cede any territory to Russia as part of a peace deal and said he was still ready to sign a mineral deal with the United States.
Zelensky said he believed he could salvage his relationship with Trump after Friday's game, but that the talks would have to take place behind closed doors. " The format of what happened, I don't think it brought anything positive or additional for us as partners," he said.
Europe is trying to ensure that Kiev is not excluded from any talks after the Oval Office clash raised fears that the US could withdraw support for Ukraine and impose a peace plan negotiated with Russia. Some European leaders said they should increase defense spending, something that could help bring Trump on board to offer a US security guarantee in the event of peace.
“After a long period of underinvestment, it is now of utmost importance to increase investment in defense over a long period of time,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, told reporters. Europe must turn “Ukraine into a steel cup that is insoluble for potential invaders ,” she said.
Poll
Zelensky: Ukraine is ready to sign minerals agreement with the US!
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters late Sunday that his country is "ready" to sign the US-Ukraine minerals deal. Just days after......
DP primaries: Official results announced for the country's 12 districts!
The Commission for the Organization and Control of Electoral Operations (KOKOE) of the Democratic Party announced the results of the primaries for the......
Trump announces strategic crypto reserve including bitcoin, Solana, XRP and more!
Cryptocurrencies recorded a boost on Sunday after President Donald Trump announced the creation of a strategic crypto reserve for the United States that will......
The number of asylum applications in the European Union exceeds 1 million for the second year in a row!
The number of asylum applications registered in the European Union, Norway and Switzerland decreased by 11% in 2024, but remained above one million for the......
How has this month started for the major currencies?
The US dollar seems to have started this month on the decline, as compared to last week it lost points over the weekend, as it was bought today for 94.7 lek......
Morocco and Albania relaunch and deepen cooperation - Procedures for lifting short-term visas coming soon
Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, has begun an official visit to Morocco, where he was received by his counterpart, Nasser Bourita. This......
Rama, from Athens: We have a competitive labor market with Greece
Prime Minister Edi Rama was in Athens where he participated, together with some of his cabinet members, in the Job Fair. In his speech on the occasion, Rama......
Rama, at the Job Fair in Athens: You will find better opportunities in Albania
Today, the Job Fair is taking place in Athens, with the motto "Work and live where your heart is." Initially, Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by members......
