Zelensky has arrived in Britain and will meet with Starmer ahead of the summit focused on Ukraine.
The aircraft of the Ukrainian president departed from the USA to London on the morning of March 1, extinguishing all hopes for signing a mineral resources agreement with Washington. Ahead of the summit regarding Ukraine, the head of state, who has already arrived in Britain, will meet with the country's Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The British Prime Minister reaffirmed his steadfast support for Ukraine even after the scandal in the White House.
It is known that the meeting between Starmer and Zelensky will take place in the afternoon. The president's plane has already landed in London. On March 2, a summit dedicated to supporting Ukraine will occur. However, as reported by Sky News, the Baltic countries — Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia — have yet to receive invitations to this summit. The publication notes that "the countries have a plan regarding Ukraine, but they were not invited."
After the altercation between Zelensky and Trump in the White House, Starmer conducted phone calls with leaders from both countries. Currently, the details of those discussions remain unknown, but the British Prime Minister assured that his country remains steady in its support for Ukraine. According to Bild, Starmer is likely to take on the role of mediator in the relations between Ukraine and the USA.
"He [Starmer] maintains his unwavering support for Ukraine and is doing everything possible to find a path to sustainable peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine," the publication states.
A source from Sky News indicated that France is assisting in organizing the summit together with Downing Street. It will be used to discuss support for Ukraine, including a plan to create an international "guaranteeing" force that could be deployed in the country to help ensure a ceasefire if the USA can broker an agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.
Discussions will also cover overall European security after Trump clearly indicated that NATO's European allies must take on significantly greater responsibility for their security rather than relying on the powerful armed forces of the USA.
The source noted that the leaders of Norway, Finland, Sweden, and Poland were among those invited, stating that Helsinki and Warsaw both publicly declined to participate in an international security force in Ukraine.
The source also mentioned that the leaders of the Baltic states "have a plan, but [were not] invited."
"All three Baltics are among the largest supporters of Ukraine in terms of GDP percentage and provided capabilities," the source said.
"All decisions directly impact our security. It’s like another agreement on the division of Europe or being taken for granted. This is shameful."
The United Kingdom considers Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia to be key partners. These three Baltic countries closely cooperate with the UK as members of the Joint Expeditionary Force — an alliance of European NATO member states that share similar views.
Peacekeepers in Ukraine
Europe is working on a plan to send troops to Ukraine to ensure security following the military conflict, reports The Associated Press. Negotiations regarding troop deployment are taking place entirely in secret. This initiative is led by the United Kingdom and France, although specific details remain undisclosed.
The potential size of the contingent will be determined by the specifics of the peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Zelensky insists on involving no less than 100-150 thousand military personnel. Media reports also mention a variant with 30-40 thousand fighters, but no figures have been officially confirmed. In addition, Ukraine demands not only ground troops but also air support.