Europe is entering a critical week that will judge its safety in the future, following a summit held yesterday in London, which ended with many promises but few clear answers.

The team of West leaders who attended Lancaster House on Sunday afternoon – including Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski but not US President Donald Trump – concerned the historical question If America is still the “heart” of western defense alliance.

“There was a renewed urgency” to safeguard the collective security of Epirus following the shocking scenes we saw in Washington on Friday, according to a European diplomat who is aware of the discussions.

And specifically after the rational verbal attack by Trump against Zelenski at the White House, which let European leaders wonder if the US still considers themselves an ally. Shortly after Zelenski’s unprecedented 15 -minute reprimand, even the head of European diplomacy Kaya Calla said that America is no longer leading the “free world”, and although the tension was mitigated over the weekend, doubts remain.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Kir Starmer, who convened the March 2nd Summit before the counter-Trump-Chalenski said on Sunday that Europe from now on ‘Must lift the greatest weight’ Concerning the protection of Ukraine against Russian expansionism, indicating the new reality that is being shaped after America’s decision to limit its presence on the world stage.

After being good at Donald Trump earlier this week, Starmer believes he can build a “bridge” with the US, and said that Britain along with France and Ukraine are now going to draw up a peace plan that will then be presented to Trump. For peace in Ukraine.

Future plan provides for the Establishment of a peacekeeping force Under the leadership of the United Kingdom and France, which Starmer described as a “coalition of eager” – something similar to the US -led group group that invaded Iraq in 2003. French President Emmanuel Macron on his part suggested that he agree to be overwhelmed.

Who else will participate in this coalition still remains open. “Many” countries have signed up for the establishment of a peacekeeping force behind the closed doors of the summit, Starmer said, but adding the US to support the whole project. However, he refused to say which countries are committed to participating.

Starmer added that the US remains “a credible ally” and that “we agree with the president that the emergence of a constant peace is urgent, now we must do this together.”

All looks at the meeting of European leaders on Thursday

Participants have also argued that taking a more active role in Ukraine’s future security means enhanced military capacity and consequently increased costs. This reality is likely to be at the heart of the summit of the 27 EU leaders to take place on Thursday in Brussels. Although Starmer pioneered the processes that took place on Sunday, the United Kingdom, of course, will not participate.

Speaking to the French newspaper Le Figaro after the summit, Macron demanded from NATO countries to invest more in their defense.

“For the last three years, Russians have spent 10% of their GDP on defense,” he said. “We need to prepare for the continuation, with a target of 3% to 3.5% of GDP.”

NATO’s current annual expenditure target is 2% of each country’s gross domestic product, but many European governments do not even spend that amount, to Trump’s great discomfort. France only exceeds it marginally, spending 2.1%.

In order to drastically strengthen the countries’ defense budgets, the French president urged the block to use EU programs “not used”.

‘We must command the [Ευρωπαϊκή] Commission to use innovative ways of funding“, He noted. ‘This means either a common borrowing or the European stability mechanism [το ταμείο διάσωσης που δημιουργήθηκε στον απόηχο της κρίσης χρέους της Ευρωζώνης]… In the first phase we need 200 billion euros for investment, “he added.

As he left the summit, European Commission President Ursula von der Laien said that now is the time to “urgently equip Europe”.

Everything shows that Thursday’s summit is critical. It is likely to come up with a historic announcement on defense spending budgets, according to a European diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

But this will not be easy as some leaders, in particular Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, support Russian President Vladimir Putin more than any European leader’s protection plan.

NATO leader Mark Rutte, who also participated in the London Summit, said that some countries are committed to “increasing” their defense spending – but again, details of which and to what extent they will remain unclear.

Words don’t cost

In the meantime, Europe’s defense industry already has limited production capacity, which means that increases in defense spending may be slow to produce substantial results.

In addition, despite the clearer attitude of European leaders yesterday, the lack of details of what they intend to do is evident.

It is also crucial that no details were given about what any peace plan would actually predict or How Starmer and Macron will be able to “sell” it to the White House.

A second European diplomat noted that Zelenski desperately needed to find a way to create a relationship with Trump and to sign Ukraine’s agreement with the US for minerals, which was supposed to have been finalized last week but was not signed.

He added that the existing situation “requires the United Kingdom and France to mobilize and lead”, but that “logic also says that the fossil agreement will commercially involve the US as it has a business interest, so it provides a degree of protection”.

But this does not explain How Europe will bring Putin to the table And how will he persuade him to negotiate on her future peacekeeping plan.

The Kremlin, meanwhile, has already ruled out the presence of NATO’s peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

Given the public celebrations of Putin’s allies for the successive “slaps” that Zelenski has received from Trump, the Russian president could withstand an approach under the leadership of the White House.

After Sunday’s summit, Zelenski told Sky News that there was a communication between the White House and his government members after Friday’s television, but ‘Not at my own level’.

He also reiterated his promise to resign if Ukraine was given the choice of NATO.

Another attendees at Sunday’s Summit – and probably a critical player at Thursday’s next rally – the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk It appeared more determined, calling Europe independent of US security guarantees.

“Five hundred million Europeans are asking 300 million Americans to protect them from 140 million Russians,” he said. “Can you rely? Based on yourself. Start relying on yourself, “he added.