European leaders meet in UK, key word is Ukraine

World leaders are gathering in London for a summit today, March 2, to discuss ways to end the conflict in Ukraine.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomes European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to attend a summit on Ukraine on March 2. (Source: Reuters)

Leaders of European countries and representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) are in London, preparing to attend a summit chaired by host Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Present at the conference were the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Romania, along with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council. The Turkish Foreign Minister also attended the conference.

The summit focused on strengthening Ukraine’s position through continued military support and promoting related economic measures. The need to establish a long-term agreement to ensure lasting peace for Ukraine, as well as to strengthen its defense capabilities against future security challenges, was also discussed at the summit.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (left) has declared his support for Ukraine not only through military aid but also economic aid. (Source: AP)

The London summit comes just two days after a heated exchange between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. No agreement was signed and no joint press conference was held as scheduled. US-Ukraine relations are at risk of a serious breakdown, casting doubt on the future of Washington’s support for the Kiev government.

Immediately after the unprecedented clash between the two Presidents, many European countries spoke out in support of Ukraine and said that Europe needs to act and support Kiev.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni proposed an emergency summit between the US and Europe to discuss Ukraine. (Source: AP)

At a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky at 10 Downing Street on March 1, Prime Minister Keir Starmer affirmed London's commitment to lasting peace in Ukraine. The UK then announced a new £2.6 billion ($2.85 billion) loan to help Ukraine strengthen its military capabilities.

Speaking ahead of the conference, the British leader stressed that the conflict in Ukraine had entered a "turning point", while affirming the importance of strengthening security for Europe with the cooperation of allies and continuing to promote discussions with the US.

Expressing optimism about the conference, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte shared on social media about the common desire "to have a peace agreement" and "must last". According to him, "Europe is really moving forward".

In addition to attending the summit, President Volodymyr Zelensky also plans to meet with King Charles III. (Source: AP))

The confrontation between President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office represents “a major shift in global politics,” according to Mikhail Alexseev, a professor of political science at San Diego State University.

Discussing the pressure European leaders face when they meet in London, Professor Alexseev expressed hope that European leaders "realize that we are witnessing a major shift in global politics", the Oval Office meeting "is not just a quarrel between two leaders" but "signals a major adjustment by the US in its distance from Europe and we cannot continue to take for granted US security guarantees that may not only be for Ukraine but also for NATO".

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/cac-nha-lanh-dao-chau-au-hop-thuong-dinh-tai-anh-tu-khoa-chinh-la-ukraine-306176.html