On March 2nd, a crucial London summit brought together European NATO members and Canada, along with, Canada, and Volodymyr Zelensky. The emergency summit emphasized Europe’s leadership in driving the effort pursuing al for Ukraine, but few tangible proposals were formulated.
The summit came after tumultuous exchanges between ex-President Donald Trump and Zelensky during a meet former Presidentgton on 28th February. The exchange had raised concerns on February 28th of Europe regarding the future of the U.S. in the European leader’s rent war with Russia.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who chaired the summit, noted that a united European stand was key in backing Ukraine. In reinforcing the U.S. commitment to peace, however, to reinforce the firm whether Trump’s reported peace plan would be acceptable to Europe or Ukraine.
The summit concluded with broad agreement on four principal pillars for the future direction:
- Ongoing economic and military assistance to Ukraine.
- Ukraine must be involved in all peace talks with sovereignty and security guarantees.
- Post the peace deal, Europe will strengthen the military power of Ukraine.
- There will be a European presence in Ukraine supported by NATO to keep Russian aggression at bay.
While the plan is controversial, it encounters resistance in terms of how the U.S. military faces resistance regarding President Emmanuel Macron both pressed for reassurance from Trump but were left with assistance. Trump was, however, reluctant to engage NATO, especially European forces in Ukraine.
As more uncertainty mounts regarding American support, the European nations will need to enhance their defense expenditure and seek additional sources of financing, including seizing Russian assets. Most of Ukraine’s defense will need to be produced at home, specifically drones and artillery, with Western companies providing some support.
When American support is pulled, it is unclear if Europe can fund Ukraine’s withdrawal on its own. With ongoing tensions, Europe is severely independently balancing military policy with diplomatic policy to maintain a robust and diplomatic policy.
