Prime Minister Keir Starmer, flanked by Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron, told his fellow European leaders Sunday that they had agreed to work on a ceasefire plan that they would then take to President Donald Trump's administration to broker the deal.
"We are gathered here today because this is a one-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe and we all need to step it up," Starmer said ahead of the meeting.
His office said in a statement that the summit included the leaders of France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa also attended.
Von der Leyen was one of the first leaders out of the closed-door session and said the summit was a "good and frank discussion" that included talks to "urgently" rearm Europe.
After the summit, Starmer -- who spoke with Trump on Saturday night -- held a news conference in which he rejected the idea that the United States has become an "unreliable ally," a point echoed by Rutte.
"I'm not going to go through the details of that conversation," Starmer said. "But I would not be taking this step down this road if I didn't think it was something that would yield a positive outcome in terms of ensuring that we move together -- Ukraine, Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. -- towards a lasting peace."
The British leader also revealed that the leaders had agreed to try to create a coalition of willing nations to be deployed in the event of a cease-fire. He said Britain would be willing to put "boots on the ground and planes in the air."
"Those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency," he said, before indicating "a number of" other countries also expressed willingness to join the coalition. Not all leaders expressed interest in deploying soldiers to protect a ceasefire. Poland's Donald Tusk stressed his country had no intention of doing so.
Starmer also held a group call with Estonian President Alar Karis, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda that similarly focused on an agreement to "come together to find a path towards a lasting peace in Ukraine that ensures their sovereignty and is backed up by strong security guarantees."
Zelensky posted on social media about the results of a "productive meeting" with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of that summit to discuss a joint action plan for ending the war.
"No one other than Putin is interested in the continuation and quick return of the war. Therefore, it is important to maintain unity around Ukraine and strengthen our country's position in cooperation with our allies - the countries of Europe and the United States," Zelensky said.
"Ukraine needs peace backed by robust security guarantees. I am grateful to Italy for its continued support and partnership in bringing peace in Ukraine closer."
Zelensky has been invited to meet with British King Charles, and will likely head there after the end of the summit.
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