LONDON, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Western leaders, including more than a dozen European heads of state and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, gathered in London on Sunday for a defense summit aimed at advancing a peace plan for Ukraine following a week of intense diplomatic talks.
The summit, hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, focuses on strengthening Ukraine's position through continued military support and increased economic pressure on Russia. It will also discuss the need for "a strong, lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine and ensures that Ukraine can deter and defend against future Russian attacks."
Participants include the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, along with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council. Turkish foreign minister is also attending.
The leaders are expected to outline the next steps to bolster European security guarantees.
"In partnership with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees, alongside continued discussions with the United States," Starmer said in a statement ahead of the summit, emphasizing that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has now reached "a turning point."
The summit comes amid diplomatic tensions, as a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House turned into a heated exchange, leading to the cancellation of an anticipated raw materials agreement between the two countries.
On Saturday, Zelensky met with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, where the British prime minister reaffirmed the UK's "unwavering determination" to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine.
Following the meeting, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko announced that Britain and Ukraine had agreed on a loan of 2.26 billion pounds (2.84 billion U.S. dollars) to support Ukraine's defense capabilities. (1 pound = 1.26 U.S. dollar) ■
