it was a beautiful day in Westminster yet also one burdened by the weight of History amid the symbols of Britain's great power past AB bid to stop the return of a world carved up by strong men and dictators the setting Lancaster house where Britain America and the Soviet Union agreed on the future of Europe at the end of the second world war we gathered here today because this is a once in a generation moment for the security of Europe and we all need to St Italy's leader Georgia Maloney came to Downing Street first her country
is not regarded as whiter than white on defense spending though she is trying to increase it she's also the only European leader who attended Donald Trump's inauguration well George you're very welcome it a key Ally in Kier st's drive to get America militarily involved in any ceasefire in Ukraine and today didn't mince her words I think it is uh very very important that we uh avoid the risk that the West divides and I think on this UK and Italy can play an important role in Bridge Building let's say so you know that I've been also
proposing a meeting between us and EUR European leaders uh for if we divide ourselves that will make us all we weer yeah in fact there's no shortage of bridge Builders with Emanuel macron on the job as well Europe defend that America Mr President gone of the days when a British leader would have envied a French president for getting to Washington first now it's the more the merrier anybody who can persuade Mr Trump not to walk away European countries have to do more and provide um a security guarantee and that's what I'm discussing with president macron
and others is what I'll be discussing today but I've always been clear that that is going to need a us back stop because I don't think it would be a guarantee without it I don't think would be a deterrence without it so the two have to go together but during Friday's Oval Office bust upop it looked and sounded as if Ukraine's leader was being bullied into a ceasefire on America's and Russia's terms you don't have the cards right now with us you start having right now you're gambling with the lives of millions of people you're
gambling with World War II this morning Mr Trump was heading off to his golf course in Florida the Nobel Peace Prize he seeks seemingly further Out Of Reach while Vladimir zalinski was being comforted in London by a fellow Trump Target Justin Trudeau of Canada the US president wants access to the mineral welfare of both countries and American officials are still urging zilinski to sign up to a minerals deal well I haven't had any contact with him since Friday we have plenty of contacts with them though we wanted to come over on Friday to sign this
commercial deal it didn't happen and the sooner everyone grows up around here and figures out that this is a bad War that's heading in a bad Direction with death and destruction and all kinds of danger surrounding it that could spiral into a broader conflict the sooner people grow up and realize that I think the more progress we're going to be able to make and for those who don't believe in reincarnation witness Peter mandelson now our man in Washington backing Donald Trump's poin of view it is the only show in town it's the only negotiation available
and it's got to be made to work and that's what uh we in Britain are very committed uh to help bring about I do think it would be a good idea if he signed the economic and Commercial uh deal uh put forward by the United States and the reason I say that is quite apart from the economic gain that Ukraine will derive uh from that it will also give the United States a stake in Ukraine's future last night Russian drones hit a house in Southwestern Ukraine a reminder of what is at stake here 3 years
after Russia's Invasion and the Russians are far more keen to strike a deal with Mr Trump to end it than to involve the Europeans at all now they are talking about peacekeepers they say we are training thousands of people that they will be provided with our cover this is arrogance because nobody is asking us but Trump he understands everything meanwhile Mr zilinsky flew from Westminster to Sandringham to meet the king while Europe's backing for him could not be clearer tonight Americas still hangs in the balance well here's what the president of the European commission Ursa
Von delion said as she was leaving we have to put Ukraine in a position of strength that it has the means to fortify and protect itself um from the economic survival to the military uh resilience uh it's basically turning Ukraine into a steeled porcupine that is indigestible for potential Invaders we urgently have to rearm Europe and for that I will present a a comprehensive plan how to rearm Europe on the 6th of March uh when we have our European Council to the leaders well the press conference with Kier starmer is about to begin any moment
and we'll go to it when he comes out but in the meantime let's discuss what's been happening with the Ukrainian MP Alexa gurenko and Rachel elus who director General at the think tank rusi and who was principal director for NATO policy and Europe at the US defense department during President Trump's first term um Rachel ell who's first let's assume that we're about to get a statement of unity we've got a hint of that from the European commission president where does that take us let me first say that it's really reassuring to see Europeans coming together
like this you had the president of the commission the head of NATO you even had turkey there as well as Canada so this is exactly what many Europeans and Americans have been asking for a long time is to step up to take ownership help UK stay in the fight begin to rearm Europe so I think that's the Contours of of a potential deal that we're seeing here a commitment for Europe to step up but to keep Ukraine in the fight until a credible Deal's on the table yes now um Alexa gurenko I mean we've heard
from P of mlon the US uh the British Ambassador in America that Britain wants zalinski to go and sign the deal as he was ready to do on Friday the it's just a framework isn't it for a deal I mean do you think that should happen quickly now should he go back to Washington tomorrow and go and sign it yeah if he can come back to Washington tomorrow and uh to get out of what had happened on Friday that would be great uh we need United States of America we need it and we need this
country as our key Ally so we can't lose United States what had happened on Friday is bad for United States it's bad for it's very bad for Europe and it's catastrophic for Ukraine the only one person who was happy is Vladimir Putin so we need to get out of this as quickly as possible but you you've been very critical of how uh president zalinski reacted in that moment I mean can he save the day now or or does he need to be replaced does he need to go and somebody else take over you know it's
not a soccer yeah it's not a football where you can just replace some player he is legitimate president of Ukraine we can't have elections because we have martial law and we from security point of view it's just impossible it's physically impossible to have elections when Russian missiles and drones are falling on the heads of people and I want to remind you from 1935 till 1945 there were no elections in the United Kingdom and it's clear why and it was no dictatorship it was democracy and is democracy as you know so uh we can't just have
have elections now it means we can't change President zilinski we will have elections after the war will finish what will happen at time people will decide so so the Ukrainian Parliament couldn't just agree on a new on on a new person to run the country no it's impossible president of Ukraine is elected by Ukrainian people and that is happening on elections and elections will be after the war so this war we will finish with the president zilinski Rachel elus I mean it was clear on Friday where the disagreement is uh that this framework agreement doesn't
go far enough in terms of security guarantees and it was pretty clear from what Donald Trump said that he's not prepared to go any further so I mean how do you get over that impass European allies together with Canada and others can explain why those security back stops are so important it's easy to forget that this is is not the first time that Ukraine has been invaded by Russia uh you know we saw the same thing in 2014 people accepted the pause that gave Russia time to reconstitute its forces only to come back in 2022
so hopefully those European leaders we saw convening today can explain that we're not asking for that security back stop for no reason we want it because we've seen this movie before we need any peace to be sustainable and enduring and frankly uh you know there are US forces in Europe so this is actually in the interest of the security of those troops as well so hopefully that narrative can be conveyed and will get through to the US president I mean so that would require a change in his position I mean his his position at the
moment is well if we can sign this deal and get it all through then there'll be American contractors and American companies in Ukraine and that will provide some sort of security and we heard president zalinski on Friday saying no it won't because there were American companies in Ukraine before this latest Invasion I don't think the markets will react well to that um using contractors and and us businesses as uh Security Forces I mean we're seeing us companies and assets seized across Russia this this is not how you provide credible security guarantees Alexa gurenko what do
you make of that American position that it'll all be okay because there'll be American contractors digging minerals out of Ukrainian soil and that that's enough definitely no definitely it's not enough it can be some part of it but not a major part of it definitely we need boots on the ground the best thing we need Ukrainian membership in NATO that's the best thing if not some direct treaty with the United States kind of Japan or South Korea has if not it can be a complex of things including boots on the ground including economical interests of
our allies it's absolutely okay I'm I will be happy to see American British companies working in Ukraine but but itself just this definitely is not enough and we definitely need security guarantees so what you're saying is when Ursula V Deion and I presume K starm is about to say something similar says Europe is ready to defend democracy that doesn't have credibility still without the American back stop exactly I mean with all respect I'm very thankful for Europe to support but you can't intercept Russian missile with a statement or with posting EXs you know you can't
destroy Russian tank with it so we need Military Support first thing second thing I can't understand why Europe is not making decision to seize Russian assets finally Frozen Russian assets that's something which is completely in European power they don't need to ask America for this and I hope maybe today's Summit will give us answer at least on this question which will be very important because having this money we can buy weapons in the United States President Trump will definitely like it it will have help Ukraine to fight and to make Russia to go to negotiation
table I want to tell you Ukraine needs peace yeah but it should be a real peace welcome back here St has just started speaking at the Ukraine Summit let's go straight to it from a position of strength and we are doubling down in our support yesterday evening the UK signed a 2.2 billion pound loan to provide more military aid to Ukraine backed not by the British taxpayer but by the profits from Frozen Russian assets and today I'm announcing a new deal which allows Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds of UK export Finance to buy more
than 5,000 air defense missiles which will be made in Belfast creating jobs in our brilliant defense sector this will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now and strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace when it comes because we have to learn from the mistakes of the past we cannot accept a weak deal like Minsk which Russia can breach with ease instead any deal must be backed by strength every nation must contribute to that in the best way that it can bringing different capabilities and support to the table but all taking responsibility to act all stepping up
their own share of the burden so we agreed some important steps today first we will keep the military aid flowing and keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia to strengthen Ukraine now second we agreed that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and security and Ukraine must be at the table third in the event of a peace deal we will keep boosting Ukraine's own defensive capabilities to deter any future Invasion fourth we will go further develop a coalition of the willing to defend a deal in Ukraine and to guarantee the peace not every nation will
feel able to contribute but that can't mean that we sit back instead those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency the UK has prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air together with others Europe must do the heavy listing but to support peace in our continent and to succeed this effort must have strong us backing we're working with the us on this point after my meeting with President Trump last week and let me be clear we agree with the president on the urgent need for a durable peace now
we need to deliver together finally we agreed that leaders will meet again very soon to keep the pace Behind these actions and to keep working towards this shared plan we are at a Crossroads in history today this is not a moment for more talk it's time to act time to step up and lead and to unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace thank you
