The UK and France are working together to promote a ceasefire plan, and European leaders are gathering in London to discuss the end of the war.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that the UK, France, and Ukraine have reached a consensus to jointly develop a ceasefire plan and submit it for discussion to the United States. The goal of this plan is to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Starmer emphasized his desire to act as a “peace bridge” to facilitate negotiations between all parties.

At the time of this statement, European leaders are meeting in London to discuss how to assist Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression. However, the atmosphere of this meeting has been influenced by the recent fierce remarks made by US President Donald Trump. He openly accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of not being ‘grateful enough’ for US military aid, sparking widespread concern.

Stammer said he was unwilling to get involved in meaningless political debates, but instead focused on dialogue with Trump, Zelensky, and French President Macron, seeking a peaceful solution. He told the BBC: “We have now agreed that the UK will work with France and possibly other countries to draw up a ceasefire plan with Ukraine, and then discuss with the United States.”

The London meeting became a key turning point, or driving European military action.

The summit held in London is crucial for strengthening Europe’s security system and ensuring sufficient support for Ukraine. One of the topics of the meeting is to discuss the establishment of a ‘European Joint Army’ to assist in implementing the ceasefire agreement, which Stammer described as a ‘consortium of willing states’.

When it comes to this project, Stammer explicitly stated that he has no trust in Russian President Vladimir Putin, but still has confidence in Trump: ‘When Trump says he wants to establish lasting peace, I believe him.’ In addition, he also revealed that ‘close negotiations’ are currently underway to ensure that the United States can provide security.

Stoltenberg warns that any peace agreement must ensure long-term stability, not just a temporary ceasefire: ‘The worst-case scenario is a temporary cessation of hostilities, followed by Putin launching another attack. This has happened in the past, so we must ensure that this agreement is permanent, not just a temporary ceasefire.’

He further pointed out that a successful peace plan should contain three elements: first, providing Ukraine with enough weapons to negotiate from a position of strength; second, establishing a European security mechanism to ensure that the ceasefire agreement will not be violated; and third, obtaining support from the United States to prevent Putin from breaking his promises.

Europe stands united with Ukraine, Zelensky receives wide support

Despite the controversy sparked by Trump’s comments on Zelensky at the White House, leaders of various European countries still express strong support for Ukraine. At Sunday’s meeting, Zelensky met with Stoltenberg, and the embrace symbolized that Europe’s support for Ukraine will not waver.

European leaders’ anxiety comes from Trump’s recent direct negotiations with Putin, which has made many European countries worried that the US may no longer actively support Ukraine, and may even lean towards Russia’s position. Especially after Trump publicly referred to Zelensky as a ‘dictator’ and falsely accused Ukraine of being the aggressor, European countries are more aware of the need to strengthen their own role.

French President Macron and Stammer recently visited the White House, trying to persuade Trump to refocus on the Ukraine issue. Although the atmosphere of the meeting was good, Trump’s attitude towards Ukraine seems to have softened, but he has not yet promised to provide security guarantees. He insists that Europe should send peacekeeping forces to supervise the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

However, just 12 hours later, the situation deteriorated again. Vice President Vance criticized Zelensky for openly challenging Trump’s trust in Putin, making Ukraine’s situation even more difficult.

Europe is bound to assume greater responsibility, and military spending will increase.

UK Prime Minister Stammer has pledged to increase the UK’s defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027. Other European countries may follow suit to strengthen their military capabilities in response to potential future conflicts.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has stated that Europe is facing a “historic test” and can no longer rely on the United States, and must strengthen defense spending. He bluntly stated, “If we do not accelerate military construction, allowing aggressors to take advantage, the consequences will be unimaginable.” He suggested that military spending in European countries should be increased to at least 3% of GDP.

Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the United States is shifting its focus towards China and the Asia-Pacific region, which is reasonable, but Europe cannot afford to remain reliant. He reiterated, ‘We should take action earlier. I have always emphasized over the years that Europe must be more sovereign, more united, more independent.’

At the same time, European countries are discussing the use of approximately 200 billion euros of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s military operations.

European autonomous military strategy may become a future trend

With the change in the US attitude, European countries are gradually realizing the need to rely on their own strength to ensure a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine war. The London summit marks a major step in Europe’s attempt to lead the war negotiations, and the ceasefire plan proposed by the UK, France, and Ukraine will be at the core of future negotiations.

However, the future of the war is still full of variables. Will Trump accept the plan? Can Europe truly unite and fulfill military commitments? These questions still need time to answer. But what can be certain is that this war not only affects Ukraine, but is also shaping the security landscape of the future of Europe.

The article first appeared on Chain News ABMedia, where the UK, France, and Ukraine teamed up to promote a ceasefire plan, and European leaders gathered in London to discuss the end of the war.