Military leaders discuss Ukraine defense plans in UK meeting

Military chiefs from around 30 countries gathered in Britain on Thursday to discuss how the so-called "coalition of the willing" might function in defending Ukraine in the future.

Britain has played a leading role in organizing Western support for Ukraine, alongside France, after U.S. President Donald Trump surprised Europe by initiating talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Starmer noted that previous meetings among international political leaders had reached a consensus that "we need to work together to ensure that any deal put in place is defended."

"What's happening here is turning that political intention into reality. The concept into the plans, whether that's in relation what might happen on the sea, air or on the ground," Starmer said.

Starmer's comments signal a shift toward an operational phase, according to a Downing Street source, as reported by The Guardian.

"The purpose of these security arrangements is to make it clear to Russia that any breach of an agreement will carry severe consequences," Starmer told reporters after the meeting. "That is why U.S. involvement will be necessary," he added.

Countries represented at the meeting included France, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Canada, Australia and the United States. However, the U.S. has so far declined to commit to supporting any Western military presence in Ukraine.

In response, the Kremlin on Thursday accused European countries of seeking "militarization" rather than peace.

"Europe has embarked on a militarization of itself and has turned into somewhat of a war party," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Meanwhile, the next round of Russia-U.S. talks on Ukraine is scheduled for Monday next week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Thursday.

On Tuesday, Trump and Putin held a phone conversation, agreeing on an initial step toward peace in Ukraine. However, Kyiv has reiterated its demand for direct involvement in peace talks, with major European countries reaffirming their support for Ukraine's stance.