Europe urged to bolster defense as Starmer seeks US support
In a conversation with journalists after the summit in Paris, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that only a lasting peace in Ukraine, safeguarding its sovereignty, will prevent Putin from future aggression. "At stake is not just the future of Ukraine, it is an existential question for Europe as a whole," he said.
Keir Starmer noted that the recent statements from the US administration should not be surprising. He recalled that President Trump has long expressed a desire for Europe to "rise to the occasion, confront its dependence on the U.S., and finally take meaningful steps toward strategic autonomy," and has shown interest in a lasting peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine.
Starmer stated that today's meeting was the first, key step in responding to this challenge.
"There must be American security assurance"
The British Prime Minister added that "there must be a U.S. backstop" after securing peace in Ukraine. "US backstop" is the "only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again," he assessed.
He announced a meeting with Donald Trump, where he wants to "discuss what we see as the key elements of a lasting peace." "We envisage further [engagement] with European colleagues when I return from the US," he added.
"It's time for us to take responsibility for our security, for our continent," the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom said.
An informal summit was held in Paris, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron. Monday's meeting in the French capital addressed security issues in the context of recent announcements by US President Donald Trump regarding Ukraine. Leaders of EU countries, the President of the European Commission, the NATO Secretary General, and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom participated.
