Skip next section Merz thanks Starmer, Macron for Ukraine talksMarch 2, 2025
Merz thanks Starmer, Macron for Ukraine talksGermany’s presumed next chancellor Friedrich Merz thanked British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron for their “leadership to bring a lasting and just peace to Ukraine.”
“Your efforts are key to building bridges across the Atlantic. We have to remain united in our goal to end Russia’s war of aggression,” he wrote in a post on X.
Merz, who has long been a transatlanticist, was not present at the Ukraine talks in London. But Chancellor Olaz Scholz, who is remaining in his position in a caretaker role until the next government is finalized, was in attendance at the London summit.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHsI
Skip next section Zelenskyy say ‘we feel strong support’ after London summitMarch 2, 2025
Zelenskyy say ‘we feel strong support’ after London summitUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed “European unity at an extremely high level not seen
for a long time” after meeting King Charles III at his Sandringham estate following a summit in central London.
“We are all working together in Europe in order to find a basis for cooperation with America for a true peace and guaranteed security,” Zelenskiy wrote on Telegram.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHs3
Skip next section Meloni: ‘I will do everything I can to keep the West united’March 2, 2025
Meloni: ‘I will do everything I can to keep the West united’Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reiterated to Italian media after the Ukraine talks that “dividing the West over Ukraine would be disastrous for everyone.”
She urged leaders to “think outside the box” on transatlantic solutions that might not require NATO membership.
Speaking at a press briefing at the residence of the Italian ambassador in London, Meloni said “We need to revisit some arguments that we took off the table too quickly.”
Meloni also said there was still no single specific plan for troop deployment and stressed that “the presence of Italian troops in Ukraine has never been on the agenda.”
The Italian prime minister also cautioned that the European nuclear umbrella — i.e. guarantees by European nuclear powers to protect the whole of Europe, a job that so far has been considered the responsibility of Washington — could risk “disengagement” from the US. “This is a scenario I do not support,” Meloni said.
“I will do everything I can to keep the West united,” added Meloni, who proposed an “immediate” EU-US summit following the Oval Office row between Trump and Zelenskyy.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHrq
Skip next section Czech PM Fiala says he will explore raising defense budget after London summitMarch 2, 2025
Czech PM Fiala says he will explore raising defense budget after London summit”I will discuss an increase in the defense budget with my colleagues in the government in the near future,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala wrote on social platform X.
Fiala was one of the European leaders who gathered at Lancaster House in London on Sunday to discuss support and security for Ukraine.
“We are all aware of the seriousness of the situation, now we need to move from words to actions,” said Fiala.
On the eve of Sunday’s summit, Fiala proposed increasing Czech defense spending to 3% of GDP.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHjW
Skip next section Poland’s Tusk says West will not surrender to Putin’s ‘blackmail and aggression’March 2, 2025
Poland’s Tusk says West will not surrender to Putin’s ‘blackmail and aggression’Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk joined other European leaders at the summit on Ukraine in LondonImage: Justin Tallis/AP/picture alliancePolish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for unity between Europe and the United States in Ukraine talks.
“Everything must be done to ensure that Europe and the United States speak with one voice,” Tusk said after crisis talks in central London on Sunday.
Tusk told reporters that the summit should show Russian President Vladimir Putin “that the West has no intention of capitulating before his blackmail and aggression.”
“The best way to discourage Putin and other aggressors is to build our own strength and the best way to convince President Trump to want to strengthen cooperation with Europe, and not weaken it, is our European strength. Everyone will want to work with a strong partner,” he added.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHil
Skip next section Canada’s Trudeau: ‘I stand with Zelenskyy’March 2, 2025
Canada’s Trudeau: ‘I stand with Zelenskyy’Canada’s outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday voiced his strong backing for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the unusually heated exchange in the Oval Office between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump.
“On Friday in the Oval Office, President Zelenskyy pointed out, in so many words, that Vladimir Putin is a liar and a criminal and cannot be trusted to keep his words in any way, shape or form because he has demonstrated time and time again that he will break any agreement,” Trudeau told reporters.
“I stand with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and I stand with the people of Ukraine.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHi3
Skip next section Zelenskyy met King Charles at SandringhamMarch 2, 2025
Zelenskyy met King Charles at SandringhamZelenskyy was invited to meet with King Charles after his heated meeting with Donald Trump in Washington on FridayImage: Joe Giddens/picture allianceThe British monarch King Charles III held an official audience at his Sandringham estate with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The king “received the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky” at his Sandringham House Estate in east England, said a statement from Buckingham Palace.
Zelenskyy flew by helicopter from London after having a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders and officials.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHhw
Skip next section Ukraine will need ‘strong army’ after war, says ScholzMarch 2, 2025
Ukraine will need ‘strong army’ after war, says ScholzGerman Chancellor Scholz has stressed the need to strengthen Ukraine’s militaryImage: Henry Nicholls/AFPGerman Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Kyiv’s allies need to ensure that Ukraine has a strong army when the war is over so that it can defend itself against any future aggression from Russia.
“The basis of everything will be a strong army,” Scholz told journalists after the meeting of European leaders in London.
The chancellor said there was no wavering from Europe on who was responsible for the conflict.
Ukraine “is the attacked country, the victim of Russian aggression,” Scholz said. “That is the truth, which is still very clear to everyone.”
He said it was also clear “that we must support Ukraine financially and with military means.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHQM
Skip next section Countries want to be part of Europe’s ‘coalition of the willing’, says StarmerMarch 2, 2025
Countries want to be part of Europe’s ‘coalition of the willing’, says StarmerA number of countries have expressed their interest in joining Europe’s planned “coalition of the willing” to help Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday.
“On the coalition of the willing, yes, a number of countries indicated today that they want to be part of the plan that we are developing,” Starmer told reporters.
“I’ll leave them to make their own statements about exactly how they want to make that contribution, but we’ve been able to move that forward,” he said.
The coalition, so far backed by the UK and France, would consist of sending troops to Ukraine after a peace deal has been reached as a form of security guarantee against any possible future aggression from Russia.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHQY
Skip next section Starmer announces 1.6 billion pound export finance dealMarch 2, 2025
Starmer announces 1.6 billion pound export finance dealPrime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday announced a new deal worth 1.6 billion pounds (€1.94 billion or $2 billion) to fund air defense missiles for Ukraine with UK export finance after European leaders gathered in London.
This deal will help Ukraine “buy more than 5,000 air defense missiles which will be made in Belfast,” Starmer said.
This comes on top of the £2.26 billion loan agreement that the UK and Ukraine signed on Saturday.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHQN
Skip next section Starmer: Europe must do the heavy lifting, but effort needs strong US backingMarch 2, 2025
Starmer: Europe must do the heavy lifting, but effort needs strong US backingStarmer called Sunday’s summit a ‘crossroads in history’Image: Justin Tallis/AP Photo/picture allianceAfter hosting crisis talks on Ukraine, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer laid out important steps that the leaders discussed behind closed doors on Sunday.
“We will keep the military aid flowing and keep the economic pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine now,” Starmer said at the press conference.
He also underlined that “any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security” with Ukraine at the table.
In the event of a peace deal, he said “We will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities to deter any future invasion.”
Starmer also mentioned the plan to develop “a coalition of the willing” to guarantee peace in Ukraine. “Those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency.”
He said that his country “is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others” but stressed that “Europe must do the heavy lifting but to support peace in our continent and succeed, this effort must have strong US backing.”
“We are at a crossroads in history today. This is not a moment for more talk. It’s time to act, time to step up and lead, and unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace,” Starmer said.
He also told reporters that any future peace deal will require Russia’s involvement.
“In the end, a deal will have to involve Russia, of course it will, but we can’t approach this on the basis that Russia dictates the terms of any security guarantee before we’ve even got to a deal, otherwise we won’t make any progress at all,” Starmer said.
Starmer dismissed that the US is now “an unreliable ally.”
“Nobody wanted to see what happened last Friday,” he said, referring to the Oval Office row between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. “But I do not accept that the US is an unreliable ally.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHPu
Skip next section NATO chief says ‘more European countries will ramp up defense spending’March 2, 2025
NATO chief says ‘more European countries will ramp up defense spending’NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte joined other NATO leaders for Sunday’s summitImage: Toby Melville/REUTERSNATO Secretary General Mark Rutte praised European countries ramping up to help with security guarantees for when the peace deal is struck.
On defense spending, “I heard new announcements” at the table, Rutte told reporters without naming any country in particular, saying “It’s for them to announce it.”
“It’s very good news that more European countries will ramp up defense spending,” he said.
“We know that our security situation is such that we need to spend more on defense, particularly now on the European and Canadian sides.”
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHOk
Skip next section Von der Leyen: ‘We have to rearm Europe’March 2, 2025
Von der Leyen: ‘We have to rearm Europe'”We urgently have to rearm Europe,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters following the summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Von der Leyen said she will put forward a plan on March 6 when European leaders are set to convene for a special summit on Ukraine.
She also stressed security guarantees are of the “utmost importance” for Ukraine but they need to be comprehensive.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHNk
Skip next section US Republican officials make implicit calls for Zelenskyy to resignMarch 2, 2025
US Republican officials make implicit calls for Zelenskyy to resignTop Republican officials in Washington have suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might have to step down for his country to continue pursuing a US-negotiated peace deal.
“We need a leader that can deal with us, eventually deal with the Russians, and end this war,” Mike Waltz, the White House national security adviser, told CNN.
“And if it becomes apparent that President Zelenskyy’s either personal motivations or political motivations are divergent from ending the fighting in this country, then I think we have a real issue,” he added.
Republican Mike Johnson, speaker of the House of Representatives, echoed similar sentiments: “Either he needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country to do that.”
Waltz’s call comes after Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly berated Zelenskyy in an unprecedented heated meeting at the White House.
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Skip next section Trump is trying to bring Russia to the table, says US State Secretary Marco RubioMarch 2, 2025
Trump is trying to bring Russia to the table, says US State Secretary Marco RubioFollowing a public spat between Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Friday, US State Secretary Marco Rubio said Washington was ready to reengage with Zelenskyy once Kyiv is “ready to make peace.”
Talking to US broadcaster ABC News, Rubio said Trump was “trying to bring Russia to the table” and the US president’s only goal was to see “if there is a way to bring about an end to this conflict.”
“The president is basically saying: ‘There is this horrible war, it’s been going for three years, it is a bloody stalemate, a meat grinder-type war’ and he wants it to end.”
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He said Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be willing to negotiate “if you are calling him names” or “being antagonistic.”
Rubio also said he had no special knowledge of the peace initiative prepared by the UK and France despite talking to foreign ministers of both countries on Saturday.
https://p.dw.com/p/4rHLh
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