LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said that military chiefs from around 30 allied nations will convene in London on Thursday for a fresh round of operational planning talks on supporting Ukraine’s post-war security.
The UK and France are spearheading efforts to form a “coalition of the willing” aimed at ensuring Ukraine’s stability once a ceasefire is reached.
However, concerns exist over the absence of a clear commitment from the United States, a key security player in the region.
UK and France lead security coalition
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Starmer emphasised the importance of allied nations preparing to “defend any deal ourselves.”
He said, “Sooner or later, Vladimir Putin will have to come to the table and engage in serious discussion. But we can’t sit back and simply wait for that to happen. We have to keep pushing forward and preparing for peace—a peace that will be secure and that will last.”
The London meeting follows an earlier gathering of senior military officials from 37 nations in Paris last Tuesday.
Unlike traditional NATO-led efforts, these talks are being coordinated by European leaders independently of the United States.
Starmer, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, has been lobbying Washington to provide aerial intelligence and air cover for any post-war security arrangement. “I’ve been clear that this needs to be done in conjunction with the United States,” he said.
Ukraine’s peace efforts
Saturday’s discussions involved leaders from France, Germany, Poland, Finland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief António Costa. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also participated.
According to Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed Kyiv’s commitment to peace by agreeing to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
“Ukraine is the party of peace,” Starmer said, adding that “Putin is the one trying to delay” a ceasefire.
French President Macron, in remarks reported by AFP, said Russia “does not give the impression of genuinely wanting peace” and accused Moscow of “stepping up the fighting” while negotiating from a position of strength.
Zelenskyy warned that Russian forces were amassing near Ukraine’s Sumy region, signalling a potential escalation despite ongoing diplomatic efforts. “This indicates a desire to strike at our Sumy region,” he wrote on Telegram.
Challenges for Europe’s security plan
Von der Leyen underscored the European Union’s continued support for Ukraine, stating on X (formerly Twitter): “Now Russia has to show that it is willing to support a ceasefire leading to a just and lasting peace.” She also reiterated the EU’s strategy of strengthening Ukraine’s defences under the so-called “porcupine strategy.”
The UK prime minister also revealed plans to impose further sanctions on Russia, separate from the frozen assets already under discussion. “We are accelerating our practical work to support a potential deal,” Starmer said.
Despite growing European consensus, securing US military backing remains a major hurdle. Washington’s stance on providing a security “backstop” has not changed, and former White House adviser Fiona Hill cautioned that tensions between the US and its allies could have long-term consequences.
Speaking on the Foreign Affairs podcast, she suggested that growing uncertainty over US commitments might push European nations, Japan, and South Korea to consider acquiring nuclear weapons for self-defence.
Meanwhile, former US National Security Adviser Keith Kellogg has been reassigned to focus solely on Ukraine, following reports that Moscow had sought to exclude him from ceasefire talks.
Former President Donald Trump confirmed the move on Truth Social, stating that Kellogg would “deal directly with President Zelenskyy and Ukrainian leadership.”
Starmer described the upcoming London meeting as a step towards concrete military planning. “Now is the time to engage in discussion on a mechanism to manage and monitor a full ceasefire,” he said, adding that “overall, we are successfully gathering political and military momentum.”
He acknowledged, however, that without US support, the coalition could struggle to materialise into an effective peacekeeping force.
“Unless Donald Trump’s position on the backstop changes, Keir’s coalition of the willing could struggle to get off the ground,” one senior European diplomat told The Times.
