Ukraine summit in London: EU leaders meet in the UK capital on Sunday

European leaders will discuss common defence and Ukraine’s position for ceasefire

Next Sunday, a summit between European leaders could take place in London to discuss the strengthening of common defence and Ukraine’s position in view of the peace negotiations. This was announced by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during a conference in Warsaw, alongside European Council President Antonio Costa. ‘I hope that a greater mobilisation of European defence will soon become a reality,’ Tusk said. The summit will precede the next European Council, scheduled for 6 March in Brussels, where leaders will also discuss future support for Kiev.

Italian sources report that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has confirmed her readiness to attend the meeting, although she stressed that the summit has not yet been officially convened.

Antonio Costa reiterated the importance of continued support for Ukraine, while Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are open to ceasefire negotiations. Costa stated that the EU has a crucial role in the reconstruction of Ukraine and its possible entry into the European bloc. The March summit will discuss how to further strengthen the Ukrainian position.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an increase in UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with the aim of addressing new European security challenges. The increase will be financed by a reduction in international development aid from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of GDP. Starmer emphasised the importance of protecting national security in an increasingly dangerous environment, announcing the largest increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War.

The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, also convened a videoconference of heads of state and government for tomorrow morning, during which French President Emmanuel Macron will report on the results of his meeting with US President Donald Trump. This virtual meeting will be held in preparation for the summit on 6 March.

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