One-month aerial ceasefire to be proposed as Europe seeks to regain initiative in Ukraine

European leaders agreed a four-point plan to bolster support for Ukraine at a pivotal summit held in London on Sunday as the rift between Europe and the United States over the country’s future continued to grow.

Speaking to reporters after the event at Lancaster House, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Europe found itself at a “crossroads in history” and that the continent’s leaders would have to commit to doing the “heavy lifting” to ensure a lasting peace in Ukraine.

The plan includes continued military aid to Ukraine and economic pressure on Russia, a Ukrainian seat at the table in any peace negotiations, a boost to Kyiv’s defensive capabilities to deter future invasions, and the formation of a “coalition of the willing” to safeguard any future peace deal, Starmer said.

“This is not a moment for more talk — it is time to act. Time to step up and lead, and to unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace”, he concluded, stressing that any deal would need to be “backed by strength” and have “strong US backing”.

Starmer also announced a €1.9 billion deal between London and Kyiv to supply Ukraine with over 5,000 UK-made air defence missiles to counter Russian aerial attacks.

Following the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron told Le Figaro that France and the UK were working on a plan for a truce in the war that would prohibit air, sea and energy infrastructure attacks by both Russia and Ukraine for one month, while allowing fighting on the ground to continue.

“We want peace. We don’t want it at any price, without guarantees”, Macron told Le Figaro, adding that Vladimir Putin would seek to “humiliate” Ukraine in any peace talks between Russia and the US.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who held talks with Starmer on Saturday and King Charles III on Sunday, joined over a dozen European leaders at the summit, hailing Europe’s unity and “willingness to cooperate” on “real security guarantees” for Kyiv, while reiterating Ukraine’s “gratitude” to the US for its support since Russia launched its full-scale invasion three years ago.

“We are grateful for all the support we’ve received from the United States. There has not been a day when we haven’t felt gratitude”, Zelensky said, just days after US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance publicly admonished him for not being “thankful” for Washington’s aid.

Following Sunday’s summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for Europe to rearm “urgently” to combat the threat posed by Russia and announced that the European Council would discuss a rearmament plan on Thursday, which she said would involve the transformation of Ukraine into a “steel porcupine that is indigestible for potential invaders”.