Europe developing 'coalition of the willing' to back ceasefire in Ukraine, Starmer says

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 2 that a number of European nations, including the U.K. and France, are developing a 'coalition of the willing' that will include "planes in the air and boots on the ground" in an effort to negotiate a successful ceasefire in Ukraine.

Starmer added that for any coalition to succeed, Europe must "have strong U.S. backing."

"(European allies) will go forth to develop a 'coalition of the willing' to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee the peace," Starmer said during a press conference following a European leaders summit in London. "Not every nation will feel able to contribute but that can't mean we sit back. Instead those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency."

"The U.K is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air. Together with others, Europe must do the heavy lifting," Starmer said. "This is not a moment for more talk... If you want to preserve the peace, you have to defend the peace."

Starmer is hosting President Volodymyr Zelensky and other leaders in London to discuss how to strengthen support for Ukraine and ensure a just and lasting peace. The summit is even more crucial now after a fallout between the Ukrainian leader and U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House.

The U.K. and France have spearheaded the idea of deploying European peacekeepers in Ukraine to monitor a potential ceasefire. French President Emmanuel Macron and Starmer appealed to Trump to remain involved in maintaining a post-war order, but they failed to receive any concrete commitments as the new U.S. administration expects Europe to take responsibility for Ukraine's security.

Starmer said that he spoke to Trump on March 1 to deliver plans of the proposed coalition, and added that the proposed coalition will succeed on the basis that Europe work "with the U.S. and that it will have U.S. backing."

Starmer did not specify which other countries would participate in the coalition, but added that "a number of countries have indicated they want to be part of the plan we're developing."

"The purpose of today's meeting was to unite our partners around this effort. To strengthen Ukraine, and unsure a just and enduring peace for the good of all of us," Starmer added. "We have to learn from the mistakes of the past. We cannot accept a deal like Minsk which Russia can break with ease."

While most European leaders publicly voiced support for Zelensky after his spat with Trump, Starmer called both the Ukrainian and U.S. leaders in an attempt to bridge the rift. The prime minister reportedly aims to tell Zelensky that fixing relations with Trump would be necessary to ensure lasting peace.

The British prime minister and French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited Washington earlier this week, are seeking to mend the ties between Kyiv and the U.S. and present a united front on Ukraine and Russia.

European leaders had previously been sidelined from talks between the U.S. and Russia — concerned that neither the EU nor Kyiv will have a role in negotiating a ceasefire in Ukraine.

‘Once in a generation moment’ — Zelensky, Ukraine’s partners gather for key London summit after White House fallout

French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and other top Western officials arrived for a London summit to discuss support for Kyiv, the Guardian reported on March 2.

The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek