European Leaders Pledge More Support for Ukraine after London Summit

What Happened?

European leaders met in London over the weekend for a summit on the war in Ukraine. After a series of meetings they pledged more support for Ukraine in its war against Russia. 

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Europe would both create and lead a “coalition of the willing” to garner more support for Ukraine’s war effort. 

The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte both made several public statements too. They indicated that European nations plan to embark on a surge in military spending and armaments production all geared towards helping Ukraine. 

Why it Matters

The London Summit follows on the heels of a contentious press conference between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky, which ended with Mr. Zelensky being asked to leave the White House. 

In a marked contrast European leaders made a point to emphasize they plan to stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and Mr. Zelensky in particular.

In London the British Prime Minister said, “We’re gathered here today because this is a once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe, and we all need to step up.” Similar sentiments have been expressed by French and German officials. 

Europe has provided arms and supplies to Ukraine in amounts roughly equal to that sent by the United States. The European pledge to increase support for Ukraine is well within their capabilities to deliver. 

Europe has long possessed the industrial and financial resources necessary for more military spending, the only thing they lacked was political will. That is something Europe’s leaders appear to have found, at least for now.

The summit itself is an indication European leaders are worried about how the war is going for Ukraine. It’s not likely they would hold what many in the EU have described as an emergency summit unless they thought there was an emergency. In this case that the war is going badly for Ukraine. 

However, while it is going badly for Ukraine, it’s not going well for Russia either. The recent high profile attempts to find diplomatic solutions reflects that reality.

It’s unlikely Russian President Vladmir Putin would express any interest in dialogue with the United States if he believed he could win an outright military victory in Ukraine.

Such negotiations have not yet begun. The recent talks in Saudi Arabia were only to lay the groundwork for future negotiations on how to end the war in Ukraine.

How it Affects You

Ukrainians want the war to end but not on terms favorable to Russia. 

The Kremlin wants the war to end soon so they won’t have to call for another mass mobilization of troops which would be deeply unpopular in Russia. 

A diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine is possible but that process is likely in the early stages and there is a long way to go.