2025 London Summit on Ukraine

{{Infobox summit meeting

|name=2025 London Summit on Ukraine

|other_titles=

|logo=

|logo_size= 250

|image= Securing Our Future (EC pic) 2025-03-02-15-13.jpg

|alt=

|caption= Photo of all the participants

|country= United Kingdom

|date= 2 March 2025

|motto= Securing our future

|venues= Lancaster House

|cities= London

|participants= 16 states, EU and NATO

|chairperson= Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

|follows=

|precedes=

|website=

|compactnav=

|keypoints=

}}

The 2025 London Summit on Ukraine, officially entitled the Securing Our Future London Summit, 2 March 2025, was a meeting of international leaders in London on 2 March 2025, called by British Prime Minister{{nbsp}}Keir Starmer to draft a peace plan for the Russian invasion of Ukraine to take to the United States.{{cite news |title=UK's Starmer calls on Europe to step up to secure Ukraine peace |first1=Elizabeth |last1=Piper |first2=Kate |last2=Holton |first3=Andrew |last3=Macaskill |date=2 March 2025 |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/uks-starmer-tries-revive-hope-ukraine-peace-summit-2025-03-01/ |access-date=2 March 2025 }}

The summit followed the meeting of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in Washington on 28 February 2025 with President Trump and Vice President JD Vance.{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Peter |date=28 February 2025|title=Tempers flare before Zelensky abruptly departs the White House without signing a minerals deal |url=https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/02/28/us/trump-news/trump-zelensky-ukraine-russia-putin?smid=url-share |url-access=subscription |access-date=1 March 2025|work=New York Times|issn=0362-4331}}

Aim

The objective of the meeting was to create a "coalition of the willing" in Europe that would be able to present a peace plan for Ukraine. The stated aim of the initiative is to facilitate the peace negotiation attempts launched and mediated by the United States between Ukraine and Russia in February 2025, by helping to build up strong enough security guarantees for Ukraine to ensure that a potential reached ceasefire or peace deal would be lasting.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-20 |title=Military chiefs gather in UK to discuss Ukraine peacekeeping force |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250320-military-chiefs-gather-in-uk-to-discuss-ukraine-protections |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=France24}} Besides serving the role as building up a potential peacekeeping force, the coalition have also expressed readiness to increase military support for Ukraine and strengthen economic sanctions against Russia, in the event that the ongoing negotiations for a "comprehensive ceasefire" or "peace deal" would fail. As of 20 March 2025, the exact shape and function of the coalition was described as still being subject to ongoing planning, but moved into an "operational phase".{{Cite web |date=2025-03-20 |title=Who's in, who's out? The 'coalition of the willing' that could secure peace in Ukraine |url=https://news.sky.com/story/what-is-a-coalition-of-the-willing-and-which-countries-could-send-peacekeeping-troops-to-ukraine-13320663 |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=Sky News}}{{Cite web |date=2025-03-20 |title=Military leaders to meet on UK-France 'coalition of the willing' plan for Ukraine |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/military-leaders-meet-uk-france-coalition-willing-plan-ukraine |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=Fox News}}

Participants

According to the French newspaper Le Monde, the participants included, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a number of European and international leaders.{{cite news |title=Starmer invites Zelensky, other leaders to summit on Ukraine, security on March 2 |last=Hodunova |first=Kateryna |date=28 February 2025 |work=Kyiv Independent|url=https://kyivindependent.com/starmer-invites-over-dozen-european-leaders-to-summit-on-ukraine-security-on-march-2-in-london/ |access-date=11 March 2025}}{{cite news |title=U.S. must be engaged in Ukraine security: Canadian envoy |last=Le Couteur |first=Mike |date=2 March 2025 |work=CTV News |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/pm-trudeau-attends-ukraine-summit-in-london/ |access-date = 2 March 2025|publisher=Bell Media }}{{cite news |title=Ukraine summit 'once in a generation' moment for European security, says Starmer |agency=AP|work=Agence France-Presse |date=2 March 2025 |publisher=Le Monde |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/03/02/zelensky-joins-european-leaders-at-key-ukraine-summit-in-london_6738729_4.html |access-date=2 March 2025 }}

class="wikitable"

! scope="col" | Country

! scope="col" | Represented by

! scope="col" | Title

| Minister of Foreign Affairs

| Volodymyr Zelenskyy

| President

| Keir Starmer (host)

| Prime Minister

The following people also attended the meeting:

class="wikitable"

! scope="col" | Organisation

! scope="col" | Represented by

! scope="col" | Title

| Antonio Costa
Ursula von der Leyen

| President of the European Council
President of the European Commission

| Mark Rutte

| Secretary general of NATO

Additionally, Starmer spoke to President Alar Karis of Estonia, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa of Latvia and President Gitanas Nausėda of Lithuania by telephone prior to the meeting commencing.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-call-with-leaders-of-estonia-latvia-and-lithuania-2-march-2025|title=PM call with leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: 2 March 2025|publisher=UK Government|department=Prime Minister's Office|date=2 March 2025|work=GOV.UK|accessdate=3 March 2025}}

Outcomes

= Four point-plan =

In a press conference that followed the London summit, Starmer outlined four key outcomes:

Commitment to maintaining the flow of military aid to Ukraine while increasing economic pressure on Russia through sanctions and other measures
Affirming that any lasting peace agreement must ensure the sovereignty and security of Ukraine, with Ukraine being present at all peace negotiations
Pledging to enhance Ukraine's defensive military capabilities following any peace deal to deter potential future invasions
Development of a "coalition of the willing" consisting of multiple nations prepared to defend the terms of any peace agreement and guarantee Ukraine's security afterward

= Commitments =

As part of the announcement, Starmer committed £1.6 billion ({{Euro|{{#expr:(1.6/0.8253) round 2}}{{nbsp}}billion}}) in UK export finances to purchase more than 5,000 air defense missiles for Ukraine.{{cite news |date=2 March 2025|title=Keir Starmer announces £1.6bn missile deal for Ukraine |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4vevpv14vo |access-date=2 March 2025|publisher=BBC News|first=Jennifer|last=McKiernan}} The missiles will be manufactured in Belfast in Northern Ireland. This complemented a previously announced £2.2 billion ({{Euro|{{#expr:(2/0.8253) round 2}}{{nbsp}}billion}}) loan for military aid to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets.{{cite news |date=22 October 2024|title=UK to boost Ukraine funding using £2bn from seized Russian assets |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3yd22rk5o |access-date=2 March 2025|publisher=BBC News|first=Jonathan|last=Beale}}{{cite news|date=2 March 2025 |title=Ukraine war latest: Europe developing 'coalition of the willing' to back ceasefire in Ukraine, Starmer says |url=https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-europe-developing-coalition-of-the-willing-to-back-ceasefire-in-ukraine-starmer-says/ |access-date=2 March 2025|work= Kyiv Independent}}

Starmer emphasized that European nations would need to take primary responsibility for the initiative and "do the heavy lifting" and that the agreement would require US backing and Russian involvement. He indicated that the United Kingdom would back its security commitments with "boots on the ground, and planes in the air," regarding the possibility of UK and EU direct military presence in Ukraine to carry out a peace enforcement operation.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the "urgent need to re-arm Europe,"{{cite news |title=Europe must urgently rearm, EU's Von der Leyen says |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/europe-must-urgently-rearm-eus-von-der-leyen-says-2025-03-02/ |access-date=3 March 2025 |publisher=Reuters |date=2 March 2025}} to support such security guarantees after "a long time of underinvestment". She suggested that the European Union might need to ease its fiscal rules regarding national debt to facilitate increased defense spending by member states. On 4 March 2025, Von der Leyen announced the EU's €800 billion ($840 billion) defence investment plan "ReArm Europe".{{Cite web |last=Ott |first=Haley |date=2025-03-04 |title=As Trump halts aid to Ukraine, EU unveils $840 billion defense investment "ReArm Europe" plan - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-russia-war-trump-eu-defense-investment-rearm-europe-plan/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite news| last1=Tidey| first1=Alice| url=https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/04/von-der-leyen-pitches-800bn-defence-package-ahead-of-eu-leaders-summit | date=4 March 2025| access-date=11 March 2025 |website=Euronews |title=Commission pitches '€800bn' defence package ahead of leaders' summit }}

Secretary General of NATO Mark Rutte echoed this sentiment, noting that the meeting demonstrated European nations "stepping up" to ensure Ukraine has the resources necessary to "stay in the fight as long as it has to continue".{{cite news |first=Vicky|last=Wong |title=Starmer announces 'coalition of the willing' to guarantee Ukraine peace |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vygkzkkrvo |access-date=3 March 2025 |publisher=BBC News |date=2 March 2025}}

Right after the meeting, Finland's president Stubb said that Norway and Finland are working in support of the drafting of the UK-France-Ukraine peace plan. In addition, he said that the role of the countries that are Russia's neighbours will be different from providing peacekeeping troops.{{cite web |date=2 March 2025|title=Stubb: Suomi on mukana Ukrainan rauhansuunnitelman laatimisessa |url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20146977 |access-date=3 March 2025 |work=Yle Uutiset |language=fi|trans-title=Stubb: Finland is involved in drawing up the Ukraine peace plan|first1=Viivi|last1=Koivistoinen|first2=Elsa|last2=Mäklin}}

References

External links

[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chairs-statement-leaders-meeting-on-ukraine-london-2-march-2025 Chair's statement] GOV.UK
[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-keir-starmer-to-host-leaders-summit-on-ukraine Pre-summit statement] GOV.UK
[https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-remarks-at-international-leaders-summit-press-conference-2-march-2025 Post-summit comments] GOV.UK

Category:2025 in international relations

Ukraine summit

Category:21st-century diplomatic conferences

Category:March 2025 in the United Kingdom

Category:Conferences in London

Category:Diplomatic conferences in the United Kingdom

Category:Reactions to the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Category:Premiership of Keir Starmer

Category:Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Category:Ukraine–United Kingdom relations

Category:Ukraine–European Union relations

Category:Ukraine–NATO relations