Britain Urges US To Back Europe Force In Ukraine
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
PARIS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Britain’s prime minister urged the United States on Monday to support a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine and suggested Washington cannot wash America’s hands of Ukraine without damaging European security.
Keir Starmer spoke after an emergency meeting in Paris, France, of European leaders to discuss the situation in Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022.
The gathering of eight European leaders, NATO military alliance chief Mark Rutte, and top European Union officials was prompted by the U.S. decision to engage in peace talks with Russia alone, set to begin this week in Saudi Arabia.
“We really want to do this together,” said Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, emphasizing Europe’s role in the negotiations.
Schoof acknowledged the U.S. message that Europe must take more responsibility for its security. “It’s important that we have thorough discussions—both among ourselves and with the Americans—about security guarantees and how to implement them.”
However, he stressed that a clear plan has not yet been formulated. “It’s still far too early to make concrete agreements.”
Some leaders at the summit – especially the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who is one week from an election – wanted to block discussion on a European force to help enforce a ceasefire in Ukraine.
STARMER COMMITS TROOPS
But Starmer, after committing on Sunday to the principle of sending British troops, pressed ahead with the issue but added that such a force was only feasible with U.S. support.
British defense officials argue that even if a 30,000-strong European force is deployed away from the frontline in a reassurance role, it will need the protections, including air cover and logistics, that only NATO – specifically the U.S. – can provide.
Europeans agreed it would be dangerous to conclude a Ukrainian ceasefire without a peace agreement at the same time and that they were ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine “depending on the level of American support.”
Speaking after the three-hour summit, Starmer said: “Europe must play its role, and I’m prepared to consider committing British forces on the ground alongside others if there is a lasting peace agreement, but there must be a U.S. backstop because a U.S. security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again.”
Keeping the transatlantic relationship healthy is seen as a key task of NATO Secretary General Rutte, who tried to play down European tensions with Washington. “Ready and willing. That’s my take from today’s meeting in Paris,” Rutte wrote in comments monitored by Worthy News.
“Europe is ready and willing to step up. To lead in providing security guarantees for Ukraine. Ready and willing to invest a lot more in our security. The details will need to be decided, but the commitment is clear,” he added to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Starmer insisted that the United States was not due to leave NATO but said the issue of burden-sharing within the alliance had become pressing. “At this moment, we have to realize the new era we are now in and not cling hopelessly to the comforts of the past and to take responsibility for our security and our continent.”
GROWING EUROPEAN CONCERNS
The emergency summit was convened by French President Emmanuel Macron at 48 hours’ notice amid growing fears that Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are trying to negotiate the future of Ukraine and Europe over the heads of European leaders.
Macron said he had spoken to Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and that “we will work on this together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians—this is the key.”
“We seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine. To achieve this, Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians,” Macron wrote on social media platform X.
“Otherwise, there is a risk that this ceasefire will end up like the Minsk agreements,” he said, referring to the pacts that sought to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and 2015.
Yet angering European leaders, senior Russian and American diplomats are already due to meet in Riyadh on Wednesday to follow up on the surprise phone call to Putin initiated by Trump last week.
Trump’s special Ukraine envoy, General Keith Kellogg, stressed Trump wanted a quick deal: “We are now at Trump time, which means I get an assignment today and tomorrow at noon, he asks me why it hasn’t been done yet.”
It also clearly sent a message to Europeans who were seen as ineffective by the Trump administration.
DEFENSE SPENDING
In a summit that was never intended to reach a decision, observers noticed that the clearest consensus was around increasing defense spending, another demand by President Trump.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: “We will not be able to effectively help Ukraine if we do not immediately take concrete steps regarding our own defense capabilities. If Europe and this is the case today, is not able to counter Russia’s military potential, then we must immediately catch up.”
Scholz, too, said he wanted a focus on how Europe could remove defense spending increases from fiscal debt rules.
He added the German debt brake should not apply to defense spending above 2 percent and that the country could mobilize an additional 30 billion euros ($31.4) annually.
Criticising Trump’s decision to rush into peace talks with Russia, he said it was “highly inappropriate” that a debate had started about the outcome of negotiations that had not yet taken place and were being conducted without the involvement of Ukraine.
He said, “It is very clear to us: we must continue to support Ukraine – and it must and can rely on us.”
Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said all European nations should boost their support for Ukraine and defense spending at home to protect themselves against Moscow. “Russia is threatening all of Europe now, unfortunately.”
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