'A coalition of the willing': European leaders agree on plan to end war, defend Ukraine

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a four-point plan to work with Ukraine in ending the war, and defending it from Russia.

18 country leaders, mostly from Europe, and including Volodymyr Zelensky, will step up efforts in a “coalition of the willing”, which seeks to involve the United States, for an end to the conflict.

"We are at a crossroads in history today," Starmer said after the summit while Zelensky said Kyiv felt "strong support" and the gathering showed "European unity at an extremely high level not seen for a long time".

"We are all working together in Europe in order to find a basis for cooperation with America for a true peace and guaranteed security," Zelensky said after the summit.

The statements come days after a fiery White House exchange between the Ukrainian leader and US President Donald Trump.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that Paris and London seek to propose a one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine “in the air, at sea and on energy infrastructure".

Speaking during a press conference after the meeting, the British PM said four points have been agreed:

•  keep military aid flowing into Ukraine, and to keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia
• that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and security and Ukraine must be present at any peace talks
• in the event of a peace deal, to boost Ukraine's defensive capabilities to deter any future invasion
• to develop a "coalition of the willing" to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee peace afterwards

Starmer also announced an additional £1.6bn of UK export finance to buy more than 5,000 air defence missiles. This comes on top of a £2.2bn loan to provide more military aid to Ukraine backed by profits from frozen Russian assets.

"We have to learn from the mistakes of the past, we cannot accept a weak deal which Russia can breach with ease, instead any deal must be backed by strength," he said.

He did not state which countries have joined the coalition, but said those who had committed would intensify their contribution with real urgency.

The UK, he said, would back its commitment with "boots on the ground, and planes in the air".

"Europe must do the heavy lifting," he said, before adding that the agreement would need US backing and had to include Russia, but that Moscow could not be allowed to dictate terms.

"Let me be clear, we agree with Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together," Starmer said.

When asked if the US under Trump was an unreliable ally, he said: "Nobody wanted to see what happened last Friday, but I do not accept that the US is an unreliable ally."

Countries at the summit included France, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, Norway, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Finland, Italy, Spain and Canada.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that there was now an urgent need to "re-arm Europe".