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

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and other top Western officials gathered on March 2 for a London summit to discuss support for Kyiv.

They are among the leaders and senior representatives of 15 countries invited to the U.K. by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss a path toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Zelensky landed in London already on March 1 following his trip to the U.S. Ukraine's leader left Washington without signing the much-anticipated natural resources deal after a public spat with U.S. President Donald Trump, prompting shock and concerns about the future of U.S.-Ukraine ties.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and leaders or senior representatives of Germany, Canada, Czechia, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Romania, and Turkey have also arrived for the crucial summit.

"On my way to London to highlight Europe’s ongoing support to Ukraine that can lead to just and lasting peace in Ukraine," von der Leyen said on X ahead of her trip.

"The path to peace is strength. Weakness breeds more war. We will support Ukraine while undertaking a surge in European defense."

The Baltic countries, which have been among Ukraine's staunchest supporters throughout the full-scale invasion, were not among the invitees, reportedly leading to Starmer issuing an apology.

"We gather here today because this is a once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe and we all need to step up," Starmer said as the summit kicked off, according to Sky News.

The summit is seen as a last-ditch effort to revive Western unity after seismic foreign policy shifts in Washington under the Trump administration.

Both Starmer and Macron visited the U.S. earlier this week to convince Trump to play a role in Ukraine's post-war stability, but their diplomatic efforts were overshadowed by the unprecedented and televised quarrel in the White House on Feb. 28.

The humiliating treatment Zelensky received from the U.S. president and Vice President JD Vance prompted Europe's leaders to speak out in support of the Ukrainian president. At the same time, some European officials have appealed to Zelensky to mend ties with Trump to ensure continued U.S. engagement.

Speaking ahead of the summit, the British prime minister revealed that the U.K., France, and Ukraine will spearhead efforts to create a joint ceasefire plan to present to Trump.

The London meeting is also a chance for Ukraine's EU allies to coordinate strategy ahead of the European summit on March 6, which is under threat of being derailed by Moscow-friendly Hungary and Slovakia.

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An astounding political encounter played out in front of the world on Feb. 28, as a highly-anticipated meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump descended into a verbal brawl, the cancelling of a mineral deal and — reportedly — Zelensky’s unceremonious eviction fr…

The Kyiv IndependentChris York