'Once in a generation moment' — Zelensky, Ukraine's partners gather for key London summit after White House fallout
(Updated: )Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and other top Western officials gathered for a London summit to discuss support for Kyiv, the Guardian reported on March 2.
They are among the leaders and senior representatives of 15 countries invited to the U.K. by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss a path toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in London already on March 1, following his trip to the U.S. Ukraine's leader left Washington without signing the much-anticipated natural resources deal following a public spat with U.S. President Donald Trump, which caused a shock across Europe.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and leaders or senior representatives of Germany, Canada, Czechia, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, and Turkey have also arrived for the crucial summit.
"On my way to London to highlight Europe’s ongoing support to Ukraine that can lead to just and lasting peace in Ukraine," von der Leyen said on X ahead of her trip.
"The path to peace is strength. Weakness breeds more war. We will support Ukraine while undertaking a surge in European defense."
The Baltic countries, which have been among Ukraine's staunchest supporters throughout the full-scale invasion, were not among the invitees, reportedly leading to Starmer issuing an apology.
"We gather here today because this is a once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe and we all need to step up," Starmer saidas the summit kicked off, according to Sky News.
The summit is seen as a last-ditch effort to revive Western unity after seismic foreign policy shifts in Washington under the Trump administration.
Both Starmer and Macron visited the U.S. earlier this week to convince Trump to continue playing a role in Ukraine's post-war stability, but their diplomatic efforts were overshadowed by the unprecedented public spat in the White House on Feb. 28.
The humiliating treatment Zelensky received from the U.S. president and Vice President JD Vance prompted Europe's leaders to speak out in support of the Ukrainian president.
At the same time, a number of top Western officials, including Starmer and Rutte, have openly or privately appealed to Zelensky to mend ties with Trump to ensure continued U.S. engagement.
Speaking ahead of the summit, the British prime minister revealed that the U.K., France, and Ukraine will spearhead efforts to create a joint ceasefire plan to present to Trump.
The London meeting is also a chance for Ukraine's EU allies to coordinate strategy ahead of the European summit on March 6, which is under threat of being derailed by Moscow-friendly Hungary and Slovakia.
