LONDON — Europe must “step up” to meet the challenge of a “different chapter of history,” Keir Starmer told allies — as he announced three more days of military planning in London to be held next week.
Representatives from what the U.K. prime minister has badged a “coalition of the willing” will meet again at Northwood HQ, where military planners held initial talks this Thursday on how to mobilize in the event of a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Starmer confirmed the plans in a phonecall with the President of the European Council Antonio Costa, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of Turkey, Norway and Iceland Friday.
A Downing Street spokesperson said this week’s gathering “had further reinforced to him the importance of ensuring the coalition had the necessary plans in place for any eventuality.”
The British PM shared details of new sub-planning groups covering land, sea, air, regeneration and reconstruction, which would meet again across three days next week.
He reiterated to partners his belief that Russia’s Vladimir Putin is seeking to obstruct and delay ceasefire proposals.
The U.K., alongside France, has been at the forefront of efforts to secure peacekeeping guarantees in the event of any truce in Ukraine, even as the U.S. refuses to make any promises to back up European troops.
The prime minister’s spokesman earlier played down reports that the U.K. — which has vowed boots on the ground in Ukraine if needed — is altering its thinking to give greater priority to air and sea deployment in support of a ceasefire. “Clearly thousands of troops will be required to support any deployment whether that is at sea, on land or in the air,” he said.
The next stage of Russian-U.S. ceasefire negotiations is set to kick off on Monday in Saudi Arabia. U.K. representation is expected at the next higher-level “coalition of the willing” meeting in France on Thursday.
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