Europe’s Ukraine plan: Starmer, Macron, von der Leyen, Tusk & Meloni unveil bold push to crush Putin’s war

At the Ukraine Recovery Conference, European leaders presented a united front in support of Kyiv’s defense, reconstruction, and long-term future, urging stepped-up pressure on Russia and unveiling a coordinated post-war plan to stabilize the region.

Starmer and Macron: Plans are ‘ready to go’

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron led calls for heightened pressure on Moscow through new sanctions and coordinated support.

“We should shift our work for preparing for peace, making it happen by forcing Putin to the table… this coordinated pressure will make a difference,” Starmer said.

He revealed that European peacekeeping plans are “mature” and backed by months of preparation, while Macron added they are “ready to go” once a ceasefire is in place.

‘Coalition of the willing’ unveils peacekeeping blueprint

Starmer announced that the “Coalition of the Willing,” a multinational alliance now joined by the US, has agreed on post-ceasefire operations to support Ukraine’s security.

“We announced plans for a new multinational force Ukraine headquartered in Paris, so that we are ready to support a peace deal when it comes,” Starmer said.

The headquarters will rotate to London after a year, with plans to:

• Rebuild Ukraine’s land forces
• Support air policing with coalition aircraft
• Secure the Black Sea

In the short term, the coalition vowed to prioritise defending Ukraine’s critical infrastructure from relentless Russian strikes.

“In the coming days and weeks, we will step up our support… through crippling sanctions and ensuring Ukraine’s Armed Forces have the equipment they need,” Starmer added.

Poland’s Tusk: ‘This is a war between civilisation and barbarism’

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk delivered a stark warning: “This is not a war just about Ukraine, but a war about Europe… or perhaps even about the world,” he said.

“This is a war between civilisation and barbarism.”

Tusk called Ukraine an inspiration to the world and a frontline innovator in defense, especially drone and autonomous tech, adding that NATO has much to learn.

“There will be no recovery without victory,” he said. “Our consciences cannot rest while Putin attacks civilians, night after night.”

Von der Leyen: ‘Europe will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes’

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pledged enduring support: “We will be on your side for as long as it takes,” she told Ukrainian leaders.

• €4 billion in new grants
• A flagship equity reconstruction fund, the world’s largest of its kind, backed by the EU, Italy, Germany, France, Poland, and the EIB
• New support for Ukraine’s EU accession, saying the EU is ready to “open cluster one” of negotiations

“The future has two flags: the flag of Ukraine and the flag of Europe,” von der Leyen declared.

Germany and Italy double down on investment and accession support

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirmed full support for Ukraine’s EU ambitions and likened its recovery to Europe’s post-WWII rebirth: “Some of the recipes that were applied back then can still serve us when we focus on Ukraine’s recovery today,” he said.

He also pledged deeper industrial and defense cooperation, including investment in Ukraine’s energy and business development sectors.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni warned that Russia is intensifying attacks on civilians but praised Ukraine’s resilience: “Our task is to help Ukraine. We will do it, to rewrite this new chapter of its history,” she said.

Meloni announced new reconstruction contracts with Italian companies like Enel and Leonardo, and urged businesses: “Do not be scared of investing in Ukraine… It is an investment in peace, and in the growth of Europe as a whole.”

Germany to Trump: Stay with us

In a rare direct appeal, Merz also addressed US President Donald Trump, urging continued American support: “We are on the same page, and we are looking for a stable political order in this world. Stay with us, on this side and on this page of our common history.”