UK PM to attend European crisis summit on Trump’s Ukraine peace plan

French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to convene an emergency meeting of European leaders, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as concerns mount over US President Donald Trump’s attempt to dominate the Ukraine peace process.

The summit, expected to take place on February 17, will address US efforts to exclude European leaders from peace talks, NATO’s stance on Ukraine’s future membership, and potential security guarantees for Ukraine, either through NATO or a European force, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, expressed his support for the meeting, stating, “I’m very glad that President Macron has called our leaders to Paris to discuss in a very serious fashion the challenges posed by Trump.”

Sikorski described Trump’s negotiating approach as “razvedka boyem – reconnaissance through battle,” where the US pushes its position, waits to see the reaction, and then adjusts accordingly. He emphasized that Europe must respond to this method.

The summit comes amid increasing concerns over Trump’s handling of Ukraine, which some believe has emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin and weakened NATO alliances. As part of the ongoing tensions, European leaders are worried about the US excluding them from significant negotiations with Russia. Macron's swift initiative to gather leaders demonstrates Europe’s anxiety about Trump's role in controlling the peace process.

Downing Street confirmed that Prime Minister Starmer would attend the meeting and use the opportunity to carry the discussions forward to Washington, where he will meet Trump later this week. It. is expected that NATO Secretary-General, and the leaders of Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK will also be present.

Starmer stated, “This is a once-in-a-generation moment for our national security where we engage with the reality of the world today and the threat we face from Russia. It’s clear Europe must take a greater role in NATO as we work with the United States to secure Ukraine’s future and face down the threat we face from Russia. The UK will work to ensure we keep the US and Europe together. We cannot allow any divisions in the alliance to distract from the external enemies we face.”

The crisis summit is also being prompted by remarks made at the Munich conference by Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who argued that it was unrealistic for Europe’s leaders to be directly involved in the peace talks.

Kellogg indicated that a resolution could be reached “in weeks and months,” emphasizing the urgency of US involvement in the process. Reports also suggest the US has sent a letter to European states asking what military contributions they are willing to make to a potential peacekeeping force, a move that has raised concerns about Europe being tasked with policing a deal in which it had little involvement.

Meanwhile, Trump is reportedly seeking to secure control over Ukraine’s rare mineral resources, adding to the growing tension surrounding the peace talks.

By Vafa Guliyeva