Hakan Fidan was also set to attend: UK announces agenda for 'emergency' Ukraine summit

Compiled by: Suat TEKİN - 12punto.com.tr

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called European countries to an 'emergency summit' to discuss the military situation in Ukraine and 'lasting peace.' The Prime Minister's Office released an announcement regarding the summit, noting that security guarantees and military aid that could be provided to Ukraine will be addressed.

Starmer stated that he would reaffirm his 'unwavering support' for Ukraine at the summit. In addition to Zelenskyy, leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Czechia, and Romania will attend the summit. Furthermore, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will also be present.

Before the summit, Starmer hosted Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at Downing Street. Meloni proposed holding a conference that Trump would also attend due to rising tensions between the US and Europe. There has been no comment yet from European officials regarding the Italian leader's call.

Starmer met with Trump in Washington on February 27 to hold talks on defense and security issues. It was stated that the two leaders also held a phone call following the crisis that occurred yesterday.

It is alleged that Starmer (left) conveyed to Zelenskyy during their meeting that the diplomatic crisis between Ukraine and the US must be resolved Source: Bloomberg

AGENDA OF THE SUMMIT

According to the statement by the UK Prime Minister's Office, it was announced that steps to strengthen Ukraine's current situation would be on the table at the summit. In this context, military support provided to Ukraine and new economic sanctions against Russia will be discussed. Additionally, the necessity of a strong agreement that will guarantee Ukraine's deterrence and defense capability against future Russian attacks will be emphasized.

The UK stated that it would allocate 2.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) to defense spending by 2027. Starmer stated that Europe must also take responsibility for defense. The British Prime Minister stated that unity is necessary to protect European security and guarantee a shared future.

In a press statement made before the summit, Starmer expressed his readiness to provide military support on the ground to ensure Ukraine's future security, stating the following:

''Three years after Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point. Today, I will reaffirm my unwavering support for Ukraine and double down on my commitment to provide capacity, training, and aid to Ukraine, putting it in the strongest possible position.''

Emphasizing that they must act together with allies to accelerate preparations for the European pillar of security guarantees, Starmer added:

''We have the opportunity to come together to ensure a fair and lasting peace that will secure their sovereignty and security in Ukraine.''

It is anticipated that Fidan will advocate for the development of diplomatic channels for lasting peace in Ukraine at the summit

ERDOĞAN AND STARMER SPOKE

Starmer held a phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before the summit. In a statement after the call, Starmer noted that he was 'looking forward' to Foreign Minister Fidan's participation in the meeting.

Before his visit to London, Fidan spoke on the phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine War were discussed during the call.

Foreign policy experts suggested that Turkey would defend Ukraine's territorial integrity and support providing military guarantees to the Kyiv administration for lasting peace. On the other hand, Turkey is not expected to support potential sanction decisions against Russia.

News Source: 12punto