British Prime Minister Keir Starmer laid out his four-point plan to the House of Commons on Monday. This came after reports on Sunday that he and other European leaders had come to the plan, and await US approval for it.
First: “We must keep the military aid to Ukraine flowing. Keep increasing economic pressure on Russia, and, alongside our partnership with air defense, to double down on military aid."
“On Saturday, we also agreed to a new 2.2 billion loan to Ukraine, backed not by the British taxpayer, but by the profits from frozen Russian assets,” Starmer said.
Second: "Any lasting peace must guarantee the sovereignty and security of Ukraine, and that Ukraine must be at the table when negotiating their future."
Third: "We agreed that in the event of a peace deal, we will continue to boost Ukraine’s defences and Ukraine’s deterrents."
Fourth: "We agreed to develop a coalition of the willing, ready to defend a deal in Ukraine, and guarantee the peace," he stated."
His remarks came days after Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s handling of the war and called for more accountability regarding U.S. aid. The exchange underscored tensions between the United States and Europe over the future of Western support for Kyiv.
Starmer, who has sought to maintain close ties between Europe and the U.S., announced that the United Kingdom, France, and Ukraine had developed a framework for ending the war. The plan, which received broad support from European leaders, focuses on maintaining economic and military pressure on Russia, securing Ukraine’s sovereignty, and forming a “coalition of the willing” to provide long-term defense guarantees.
“Not every nation will feel able to contribute, but that can’t mean that we sit back,” Starmer said. “Instead, those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency. The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others.”
Starmer also emphasized the need for American backing, stating that discussions were ongoing to secure U.S. involvement in any potential peace deal.
“If there is to be a deal, if there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended, because the worst of all outcomes is that there is a temporary pause and then Putin comes again,” he said.
European leaders have been reevaluating their approach after Trump opened direct peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a move that some in Europe have criticized. Trump has repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of Western aid to Ukraine and has pushed for a resolution that prioritizes U.S. interests, including economic considerations such as access to strategic resources.
Tensions escalated further after Trump accused Zelensky of mishandling the conflict and suggested that Ukraine bore some responsibility for the war. Vice President JD Vance also confronted Zelensky last week, adding to the strain between Washington and Kyiv.
