UK s Starmer calls on allies to make concrete commitments at Ukraine meeting

LONDON - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told a meeting of about 25 European leaders and other allies on March 15 that they would need to make concrete commitments to support Ukraine and increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a ceasefire.

Mr Starmer hopes the March 15 video call will see the so-called “coalition of the willing” - a group of Western nations including Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand but not the United States - come up with firm commitments of help for Ukraine ahead of any peace agreement and after that to ensure the nation’s security.

Opening the discussions, Mr Starmer accused Mr Putin of trying to delay peace talks, saying if he was serious about peace then he had to stop attacks on Ukraine and agree a ceasefire.

“My feeling is that sooner or later, he’s going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussion,” Mr Starmer said.

“But, and this is a big but for us this morning in our meeting, we can’t sit back and simply wait for that to happen. We have to keep pushing ahead, pushing forward, and preparing for peace and a peace that will be secure and that will last.”

The meeting is being be choreographed to show wide support for Ukraine from Western nations, including Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Mr Starmer will be seeking offers of logistical, financial or military support for Kyiv to put it in a strong position for talks.

The March 15 video call builds on a flurry of diplomacy between European and other Western countries to find ways to help Ukraine after US President Donald Trump upended Washingtons supportive approach and launched peace talks with Russia.

Mr Trump said there was a “very good chance” the war