Ukraine Must be Turned into ‘Steel Porcupine’

What a difference attitude makes. Two days after being insulted by President Trump and Vice-President Vance at the ambush at the Oval Office, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy flew to Great Britain to meet with obliging European and NATO leaders in an historic summit at which the participants demonstrated a genuine desire to help Ukraine persevere against Russia.

Europe is “at a crossroads in history,” Great Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer was quoted as saying as he hosted 18 leaders at a Lancaster House summit in London to discuss a new plan for peace in Ukraine after three years of war.

The UK, France and others pledged to work with Ukraine on a plan to stop Russian aggression across Ukraine, and discuss that plan with the US, “and take it forward together,” the prime minister said. 

Addressing  Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was sitting alongside him, Starmer added: “I hope you know that we are all with you and the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. Everyone around this table.” That was certainly a dramatic change from what the Ukrainian team felt in the White House.

Among those in attendance in London were the French president, Emmanuel Macron; the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the Canadian prime minster, Justin Trudeau; the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni; and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.

The participants expressed a sincere desire to preserve Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty as it fights to stave off Russia’s invasion.

Many Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians expressed their deep indignation and condemnation of America’s callous abandonment of independent Ukraine in favor of terrorist Russia, the enemy of mankind. Relations between the USA and Ukraine began to deteriorate earlier in the week, when Trump asked why Ukraine didn’t give in to Russia’s invasion for the sake of peace and why it started the war, and it culminated with American president’s accusation that the Ukrainian president is a dictator.

Since the end of World War Two, the United States has been recognized for championing the aspirations of Ukraine and the other captive nations as a bulwark against Russian imperialism. The United States has stalwartly supported their objectives beginning with the 1959 Captive Nations Week Proclamation and gratefully culminating in their independence and sovereignty in 1991.

President Trump today laid waste to this policy in the trap in the Oval Office on Friday, February 28, 2025, that ensnared President Zelenskyy. President Trump and Vice-President Vance violated all diplomatic protocols by insulting President Zelenskyy, demanding that he surrender Ukraine to the designs of Moscow and even questioning why he didn’t wear a business suit. To be sure, President Zelenskyy deserves an apology from the White House for the Trump’s calling the Ukrainian president a dictator.

It should be noted that Ukrainian American voters, wholeheartedly support the Ukrainian nation in its fight to survive and its President Zelenskyy in his Herculean task of convincing the Western alliance of the nation’s righteous, existential fight.

The emphasis on negotiations to resolve this latest iteration of Russia’s war is a nonstarter as President Zelenskyy said because the Kremlin has violated every agreement it was party to in the past three years since Russia invaded Ukraine. Furthermore, how do you negotiate with someone who wants you dead – as President Zelenskyy pointed out – and you want your people to live. What is the negotiable midpoint between death and life.

Starmer, who welcomed a visibly shaken Zelenskiy on Saturday with a warm hug, said Britain, Ukraine, France and some other nations would form a “Coalition of the willing” and draw up a peace plan to take to Trump. “As you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom,” Starmer said. “We stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take.”

Coming out of the summit meeting, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe must put Ukraine in a position of strength, which included economic, energy and military resilience.

She emphasized the “importance” of providing security guarantees to Ukraine to turn the war-torn country into a “steel porcupine” that would be “indigestible for potential invaders” like Russia.

Then, she spoke about the need to “urgently” rearm the European Union and unleash a  “surge” in defense spending that can meet the new geopolitical situation.

“We really have to step up” and “prepare for the worst,” she said. Von der Leyen said she would present a “comprehensive” defense plan to EU leaders when they all meet on March 6 for an emergency summit in Brussels.

Here are some key takeaways, according to Britain’s The Guardian:

1. Ukraine must be put in strongest position for future negotiations.

Starmer added another £1.6bn in UK export finance for Ukraine to “buy more than 5,000 air defense missiles, which will be made in Belfast,” on top of the £2.2bn loan he had announced on Saturday. This would be vital for protecting critical infrastructure now, and strengthen Ukraine in securing the peace, when it comes, he said.

2. There will be a “coalition of the willing.”

Any deal must be backed by strength so Russia cannot breach it, Starmer said.

“Not every nation will feel able to contribute but that can’t mean that we sit back,” the UK prime minister said. “The UK is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air together with others, Europe must do the heavy lifting,” Starmer added.

3. The plan must have strong US backing.

While Europe would do the “heavy lifting,” backing from the US was needed. “We are working with the US on this point after my meeting with President Trump last week,” Starmer said.

“We agree with the president on the urgent need for a durable peace, now we need to deliver together.”

The US was not seen as an “unreliable” ally, Starmer said when asked. It was a “strong and reliable ally” to the UK, adding that he had spoken with Trump on Saturday night.

“The discussions we have had today, particularly on the coalition of the willing is on the basis that this is a plan that we will work on with the US. That is the purpose of the plan.”

4. Leaders agreed to keep military aid to Ukraine flowing.

Starmer said they agreed that any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security “and Ukraine must be at the table.”

He added: “In the event of peace deal we will keep boosting Ukraine’s own defensive capabilities to deter any future invasions.”

5. Leaders will meet again very soon

Starmer said: “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 united around a new plan for a just and enduring peace.”

6. NATO chief says talks were ‘really positive.’

The NATO chief, Mark Rutte, said that “more European countries will ramp up defense spending” but did not go into specifics. He described increased defense spending as “very good news” and reiterated the need for “more of a fair balance” with the US. He told reporters the first step was to make sure there is a peace deal before there are discussions about how to guarantee it.

The future of humanity and American decency not to mention the Ukrainian nation’s democratic existence is in the free world’s hands. The only answer is for the United States of America to support Ukraine’s victory in this fight against Russian aggression. Wishful thinking and fake belief in Putin’s humanitarianism will never succeed as its national mission is to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians. Ukraine must have the wherewithal to negotiate from a position of strength with its loyal allies.