Starmer at summit in London tries to revive hope for peace in Ukraine - Reuters

Western media note that after a dispute with US President Donald Trump, who on February 28 threatened to halt support for Ukraine and accused Zelenskyy of alleged ingratitude for US assistance, the Ukrainian leader was warmly welcomed in London on March 1 at Downing Street.

Zelenskyy may receive a promise of support from European leaders in London

It is expected that at the summit in the British capital, Zelenskyy will receive promises of support from Starmer and other European leaders, who are facing the pressing question of whether they can take the lead in supplying Kyiv with weapons and finances before any potential peace talks begin.

European leaders have expressed support for Zelenskyy following the controversial meeting at the White House. Additionally, Germany has called for the allocation of 3 billion euros ($3.1 billion) to Ukraine.

Starmer hopes that on March 2, European leaders will offer more specific measures to support Ukraine and will also try to revive a potential peace deal with Russia, convincing Trump that Europe can take a stand.

Expectations from the London summit

Western analysts also expect that some leaders may urge Zelenskyy to return to negotiations with the American president.

"Three years on from Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point.' Starmer offered his 'steadfast support' to Ukraine, doubling the assistance to Kyiv.

"In partnership with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees alongside continued discussions with the United States," said the UK prime minister.

Who will be at the meeting

On the sidelines of the summit in London, Starmer will begin his meeting on March 2 with talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The President of Ukraine arrived on Saturday.

They will then be joined by French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and the leaders of Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Czechia, and Romania.

The Turkish Foreign Minister will also participate in the London summit.

'Decisive' summits

Western media note that a significant number of European leaders are far from falling behind the plans of French President Macron and British Prime Minister Starmer to maintain a potential peace deal. Starmer will hope to take a leading role, offering the UK as a bridge between Europe and the US.

The Sunday summit in London and the extraordinary EU summit in Brussels next week, as Reuters writes, could be decisive in determining whether European leaders can offer Ukraine something concrete and rectify the damage done by the conflict at the White House.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also called for an emergency summit involving the US, European countries, and allies to discuss how to address the great challenges of today, starting with Ukraine.

European leaders advocate for negotiations, security guarantees, and strengthening Ukraine

It is expected that on Sunday, European leaders will once again insist on peace negotiations to include Ukraine, strengthen Kyiv's position, and ensure necessary security guarantees to secure long-lasting peace and deter potential new military aggression from Russia.

This could mean an attempt to persuade Washington not to stop providing support to Ukraine, including air defense systems, intelligence, and surveillance data.

Some leaders will also urge Zelenskyy to try to rebuild bridges with Trump. NATO Secretary General Rutte and Polish President Andrzej Duda have already urged the Ukrainian leader to find a way to restore relations.

Additionally, French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned that he has set a goal to resume dialogue between Zelenskyy and Trump.

Czech President Petr Pavel called for the creation of a coalition for a just peace in Ukraine.