United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Europe must “do the heavy lifting” in the defense of Ukraine after a meeting between the country’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Friday ended in a shouting match.

Mr Starmer made this statement during an emergency summit with leaders from Canada, Turkey, and Europe on Sunday to discuss the future defense of Ukraine.

The summit followed the meeting in the United States, where Mr Zelenskyy was reportedly ordered to leave the White House and failed to secure further military aid from Washington.

Amid uncertainty about the Trump administration’s true intentions regarding the war, Mr Starmer said that Europe is now at a historic crossroads, calling on the continent to unite behind a new plan to end the ongoing war in Ukraine and ensure lasting peace.

“We are at a crossroads in history today,” he said, adding: “This is not a moment for more talk – it’s time to act and unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace.”

Mr Starmer noted that any peace agreement would need the backing of the United States, stating, “we agree with Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together.”

He added that a European coalition aims to defend Ukraine and guarantee peace with boots on the ground if a peace deal is reached.

However, he emphasised that military aid must continue flowing into Ukraine while the war is ongoing to ensure that any peace agreement safeguards the country’s sovereignty.