UK Hosts Virtual Summit to Strengthen Peace in Ukraine

In an effort to establish lasting peace in Ukraine, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host a virtual summit on Saturday, gathering around 25 global leaders.

The meeting aims to form an international coalition to support peace in Ukraine if a ceasefire agreement with Russia is reached.

The summit will bring together several European nations, along with Ukraine, NATO, the European Commission, Canada, and Australia.

The meeting comes as the United States pushes for a temporary ceasefire, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to earlier this week, on the condition that Russia complies as well.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed concerns, stating that there are important issues that must be resolved before halting military operations.

Starmer criticized Russia's position, saying that the Kremlin's rejection of the U.S. ceasefire proposal shows that Putin is not committed to peace.

The British Prime Minister, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, is leading efforts to form an international coalition to support Ukraine, especially after former US President Donald Trump initiated direct talks with Moscow in February.

The main goal of the summit is to discuss how countries can contribute to this coalition before an upcoming military planning session next week.

Contributions are expected to vary from sending troops, a step both Paris and London are willing to take, to providing logistical support.

Starmer stressed that if Russia eventually agrees to negotiations, the international community must be prepared to monitor the ceasefire to ensure a serious and lasting peace. He also called for increased economic pressure on Russia if it rejects the US proposal.

Putin insisted that any agreement must guarantee long-term peace and prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the summit aims to strengthen support for Ukraine and work toward a solid and lasting peace while urging Russia to end its violations in Ukraine.