UK prime minister announces framework for peace plan after summit with Zelenskyy

LONDON -- European leaders gathered in London on Sunday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following a tempestuous White House meeting that thrust United States-Ukraine relations further into crisis.

During a news conference following the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said "we have to learn from the mistakes of the past" and can't "accept a weak deal" that Russia can break. All European countries must contribute to making a strong deal and "step up their own share of the burden," Starmer added.

Starmer outlined a plan to support Ukraine, including continuing the flow of aid to Ukraine and keeping up economic pressure on Russia. He said any lasting peace agreement must ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the negotiating table.

In the event of a deal, Starmer said Europe will continue to help Ukraine militarily to deter any future military action by Russia. He also said there will be a "coalition of the willing" to help defend Ukraine.

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Starmer said the United Kingdom is ready to back the plan with boots on the ground and planes in the air. He said he also recognizes that not all countries will be able to make this kind of commitment.

Starmer said that for a deal to work, it will need strong U.S. backing.

"We are working on a durable peace," Starmer said.

When asked by a reporter about whether President Donald Trump would support the plan's framework, Starmer said he spoke to Trump "last night" and that he "wouldn't be going down this road if I didn't think it had a chance."

Starmer also introduced a 2.2 billion loan -- about $2.7 billion U.S. -- for Ukraine, backed by profits from Russian assets that his government announced on Saturday.

Zelenskyy also met with King Charles III on Sunday at Sandringham House, Buckingham Palace said.

In a statement released Sunday evening, Zelenskyy thanked the European leaders for the London summit, saying: "We are discussing with our partners security guarantees and the conditions for a just peace for Ukraine."

Zelenskyy said a series of important meetings are being prepared in the "near future."

A special European Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday to discuss Ukraine, to which Zelenskyy has been invited.

"We feel strong support for Ukraine, for our people -- both soldiers and civilians, and our independence," Zelenskyy said. "Together, we are working in Europe to establish a solid foundation for cooperation with the United States in pursuit of true peace and guaranteed security."

Earlier, Starmer told BBC News that he had agreed with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron that the U.K. and France would work on a Ukraine peace plan to then be presented to -- and discussed with -- the U.S. The prime minister added that "one or two" other nations may be involved in drafting the plan "to stop the fighting."

In a statement, Starmer's office said the prime minister will "intensify his efforts in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine" while hosting Sunday's summit in the British capital.

Zelenskyy arrived in the U.K. on Saturday, straight from his visit to Washington, D.C., in which an Oval Office meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance descended into an open argument in front of gathered reporters.

Trump and Vance lambasted Zelenskyy, falsely accusing Ukraine of starting the war with Russia, which began when Moscow troops invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The American leaders also expressed frustration over a proposed minerals extraction deal with the U.S. and Kyiv's alleged unwillingness to reach a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

When asked about the rapidly changing U.S. foreign policy on the war in Ukraine under the Trump administration, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told a state TV reporter on camera Sunday that America's foreign policy is now "largely in line with our vision."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that he hasn't spoken to Zelenskyy since the explosive Oval Office meeting, which Rubio attended.

"Well, I haven't had any contact with him since Friday," Rubio told "This Week" co-anchor George Stephanopoulos before pointing out the U.S. had a number of contacts with Zelenskyy over the last 10 days. "We have plenty of contacts with him, though, plenty."

European leaders were quick to rally around the Ukrainian leader and his team, though several stressed the importance of Kyiv retaining good -- and repairing damaged -- relations with the U.S.

"The prime minister has this weekend reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine and is determined to find a way forward that brings an end to Russia's illegal war and guarantees Ukraine a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security," Starmer's office said in a statement.

Starmer spoke with both Zelenskyy and Trump on Friday evening in the immediate aftermath of the Ukrainian leader's disastrous D.C. visit, which ended with the cancellation of a planned press conference and the Ukrainian delegation being asked to leave the White House.

Leaders from Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council, traveled to London to take part in Sunday's summit.

NATO chief Mark Rutte said he was "very positive heading into today's meeting." Rutte said his "three key points" were that Ukraine needs more immediate support from Europe, that any peace deal "has to last" with Europe "stepping up" to ensure its success, plus that Europe needs to increase defense spending "to keep NATO strong."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X, "The path to peace is strength. Weakness breeds more war. We will support Ukraine, while undertaking a surge in European defense."

Zelenskyy was the last foreign leader to arrive for the meeting, the Ukrainian leader greeted by cheering crowds and Starmer.

Zelenskyy said in a post to X that he held a separate and "productive" meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni "to develop a joint action plan for ending the war with a just and lasting peace."

"No one other than Putin is interested in the continuation and quick return of the war," Zelenskyy wrote. "Therefore, it is important to maintain unity around Ukraine and strengthen our country's position in cooperation with our allies -- the countries of Europe and the United States. Ukraine needs peace backed by robust security guarantees."

The British leader's statement said the key topics of discussion will include further military support for Ukraine, increased economic pressure on Russia, the need for a "strong" and "lasting" peace deal that "ensures that Ukraine is able to deter and defend against future Russian attack, plus planning for "strong security guarantees" provided by foreign partners.

"In partnership with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees, alongside continued discussions with the United States," Starmer said in a statement.

Zelenskyy on Saturday thanked Starmer for his "meaningful and warm" reception in London. The president also confirmed that Ukraine and London signed an agreement allowing Kyiv to access revenues generated by Russian financial assets frozen in the U.K.

"I thank the people and government of the United Kingdom for their tremendous support from the very beginning of this war," Zelenskyy wrote on social media. "We are happy to have such strategic partners and to share the same vision of what a secure future should look like for all."

ABC News' Rashid Haddou, Victoria Beaule, Oleksiy Pshemyskiy and Tom Soufi Burridge contributed to this report.