Ukraine’s allies rally to support it… ‘A show of presence’ against Putin and Trump

16th March 2025

4 minutes read

Ukraine’s allies rally to support it… ‘A show of presence’ against Putin and Trump

Ukraine’s allies are holding a virtual meeting at the initiative of the United Kingdom in an effort to outline the framework of countries willing to support a “just and lasting peace.”

Today, Saturday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is bringing together leaders of nations supporting Ukraine in a virtual meeting aimed at laying the foundations for an alliance to safeguard any potential ceasefire agreement in Ukraine. This comes after he warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not serious” about peace.

Several European countries, along with Ukraine, NATO, the European Commission, Canada, and Australia, are expected to participate in the meeting to define the framework of an alliance of nations ready to “support a just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, according to a statement from Downing Street.

“Concrete Commitments”

The British Prime Minister is expected to tell the leaders that the time has come to make “concrete commitments,” at a time when Washington has proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which Kyiv has agreed to, while Moscow has yet to give a definitive response.

A Downing Street statement quoted Starmer as saying, “We cannot allow President [Vladimir] Putin to manipulate President Donald Trump‘s settlement.”

He added, “The Kremlin’s outright disregard for President Trump‘s ceasefire proposal proves that Putin is not serious about peace.”

“If Russia finally comes to the negotiating table, we must be ready to monitor the ceasefire to ensure that it leads to a serious and lasting peace,” he continued.

However, if Russia refuses, “we must do everything in our power to increase economic pressure on Russia to end this war,” Starmer stated.

The United States, which has drastically shifted its stance on the war in Ukraine since Trump‘s return to the White House, is calling for a ceasefire as soon as possible.

It has also exerted significant pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who agreed to a 30-day cessation of hostilities on the condition that Russia also commits to it.

But Putin has expressed reservations, indicating that there are still unresolved issues that need to be addressed.

Since Trump began direct negotiations with Moscow last February, Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have been leading efforts to form an alliance of countries that intend to continue supporting Ukraine.

The two leaders assert that such an alliance, along with U.S. support, is essential to providing Ukraine with security guarantees that would prevent renewed Russian aggression.

On Friday, Zelensky stated that he discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron the “technical aspects” of how a ceasefire could be implemented in Ukraine.

“Our teams continue to work on clear security guarantees, and they will be ready soon,” he said.

“Ending Violations”

On Friday night, Macron called on Russia to accept the U.S. proposal and to stop issuing statements aimed at “delaying the process.”

Regarding Saturday’s meeting, the French President stated, “We will continue working to strengthen support for Ukraine and to ensure a strong and lasting peace,” urging Russia to “end its violations.”

Germany also criticized Putin‘s response to the U.S. proposal on Friday, calling it “a stalling tactic at best.”

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer stated, “One of the most serious questions is whether there is a genuine interest in working toward a lasting ceasefire and resolution.”

Starmer and Macron had previously expressed their willingness to deploy British and French troops as part of peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine.

Turkey has hinted at its potential involvement, but several countries have ruled out this possibility, while the positions of others remain undecided.

Starmer confirmed his openness to any form of support, signaling that nations could contribute through logistical assistance or monitoring efforts.

According to Downing Street, Saturday’s meeting aims to “deepen the understanding of how countries plan to contribute to this alliance before a military planning session next week.”

The UK government also indicated that Starmer would emphasize to the leaders the need to “increase economic pressure on Russia to force Putin to negotiate in the short term.”

Additionally, it seeks to “prepare to support a just and lasting peace in Ukraine in the long term while continuing to strengthen military support to enable Ukraine to defend itself against escalating Russian attacks.”

On Thursday, Putin stressed that any settlement must ensure “a long-lasting peace.”

Alongside Macron and Zelensky, the Prime Ministers of Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Latvia, and Romania have confirmed their attendance.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President António Costa are also expected to attend.

In contrast, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has previously rejected the idea of sending troops to Ukraine, will be absent.