Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Following last week’s Trump-Zelensky White House clash, more than a dozen Western leaders gathered Sunday to revive efforts for a Ukraine peace deal and propose a settlement to Washington.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the summit as a “once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe.” Although the meeting could push the region toward greater self-reliance in security, many observers fear the measures may be too little and too late.
Wake-up call
Europe now finds itself at a moment of truth in its security strategy. Before Friday’s diplomatic debacle at the White House, Russia-U.S. talks on the Ukraine crisis took place in Riyadh on Feb. 18, with neither Europe nor Ukraine given a seat at the table.
This photo shows a scene during a defense summit in London, Britain, March 2, 2025. [Photo/Lauren Hurley/No. 10 Downing Street handout via Xinhua]
Just one week later, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a plan to impose a 25-percent tariff on all goods imported from the European Union (EU), and justified the move by claiming that the EU was formed to “screw” the United States.
Europe was in a “moment of real fragility,” Starmer told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
Asked about the White House clash involving the duo of Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Finnish President Alexander Stubb told BBC before the summit that the breakdown was a “wake-up call” for European nations, stressing that they must adopt a cohesive strategy for the Ukraine crisis and post-conflict arrangements.
Stubb expressed frustration over shifting transatlantic ties, saying the U.S.-Europe relationship “is evolving,” and “we’re witnessing a more transactional United States, where the Trump administration — rightly or wrongly — is pursuing an ‘America First’ policy.”
This has led European leaders to explore their own security solutions. At the Munich Security Conference last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed for an emergency clause that would allow governments to increase defense spending without being constrained by the EU’s strict budget deficit rules. After Sunday’s summit, she reiterated that Europe must “step up massively” and forge a common security approach.
French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that European countries should boost their defense spending to between 3 and 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). His proposal came a few days after Starmer’s announcement that Britain would increase its defense spending to 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2027 and to 3 percent in the next parliamentary term, which would mean by 2034 at the latest.
Following a bilateral meeting with Ukraine on Saturday, Britain also agreed to loan Ukraine 2.26 billion pounds (2.84 billion U.S. dollars) to bolster its defense capabilities. Shortly after the summit, Britain further committed 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion dollars) in export finance, allowing Ukraine to purchase over 5,000 air defense missiles.
More than eight years after Britain voted to depart from the EU, it has positioned itself at the forefront of European security efforts, trying to play the role of a “bridge” between Europe and the United States to secure a peace deal for Ukraine.
Strengthened bond
After Sunday’s summit, Starmer outlined a four-step plan to strengthen Ukraine and support peace: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter “any future invasion by Russia” in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a “coalition of the willing” to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country.
The summit’s outcome was welcomed by European leaders. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called it “a good meeting,” saying “European countries are stepping up to ensure Ukraine has what it needs to fight for as long as necessary.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the importance of NATO and said on social media on Sunday: “In recent years, we have strengthened our alliance with new members and increased defense spending. This is the path we will continue to follow.”
However, doubts remain over whether Europe can fully safeguard a peace deal on its own. When asked how Britain plans to persuade more countries to join the “coalition of the willing,” Starmer acknowledged that some countries may be reluctant to contribute militarily.
“I strongly feel that unless some countries move forward, we will stay in the position we’re in and not be able to move forward,” he said, while admitting the goal to “stay in lockstep with the United States.”
Transatlantic disagreements
The EU and the Trump administration have a range of disagreements on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis, while the U.S. provision of security guarantees for Ukraine is foremost among the discussions.
Within a week before the London summit, both Macron and Starmer visited Washington to seek U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine or Europe, but failed to persuade Trump in this regard.
U.S. President Donald Trump (2nd L) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (2nd R) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Trump sidestepped the question of security guarantees, expressing confidence that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, would “keep his word” if an agreement is reached. He also ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine’s NATO membership has been a focal issue in the crisis.
Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve “lasting peace” — a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of “intense” discussion.
After the announcement of the four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine at the summit, the participating leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts.
“Europe must do the heavy lifting,” Starmer said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing.
Iain Begg, a research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Xinhua, “The real question is whether this will be enough to sway the White House. We’ve seen time and again that Washington can reverse its stance overnight.”
Also on Sunday, Macron told a French newspaper that he was “trying to make Washington understand that disengaging from Ukraine is not in America’s interest.”
While the summit has pushed Europe toward greater security commitments, the region still faces divisions over whether to deploy troops to Ukraine under a peacekeeping framework.
For now, some major European countries, including Germany, Spain and Poland, remain hesitant to commit troops to Ukraine, with Britain and France taking the lead in potentially sending military forces.
Meanwhile, the EU is still in the early stages of developing a defense budget plan. Some experts noted that Europe’s efforts to build its own defense capabilities may still have a long way to go.
David Galbreath, a professor of international security at the University of Bath, pointed to the U.S. military’s capabilities: “The U.S. provides far sharper military capabilities, such as long-range strikes, sophisticated anti-tank systems and advanced surface-to-air missiles, than anything coming from Europe.”
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