Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron have been thrust to the fore by a U.S. administration that has embraced Moscow and derided Kyiv. Strikingly, their efforts are taking place outside the major institutions that have helped order Europe for decades: the EU and NATO.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived at the White House on Monday as European leaders look to shore up a transatlantic alliance upended by President Donald Trump's outreach to Moscow over

French President Emmanuel Macron tried Monday to bend President Donald Trump back to the side of Kyiv and Europe, after an intense White House effort to end the war in Ukraine in which the U.S. leader blamed Ukraine,

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to Washington next week amid alarm in Europe over U.S. President Donald Trump's hardening stance towards Ukraine and overtures to Moscow on the three-year conflict.

France’s leader cautioned that it’s crucial that any potential agreement with Moscow does not amount to surrender for Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to Washington next week amid alarm in Europe over U.S. President Donald Trump's hardening stance toward Ukraine and overtures to Moscow on the three-year conflict.

Speaking at a news conference after hosting a meeting of 18 European leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Mr. Starmer said that “a number” of other nations had indicated that they could join with Britain and France and deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire between Kyiv and Moscow.

President Donald Trump expressed hope that Russia's war in Ukraine is nearing an endgame as he met Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron on the third anniversary of the invasion. But France's leader cautioned that it's crucial that any potential agreement with Moscow does not amount to surrender for Ukraine.

Declaring that “we are at a crossroads in history,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain said on Sunday that European countries would ramp up their military spending and assemble a “coalition of the willing” to defend any peace declared in Ukraine. Speaking at a news conference after hosting a meeting of 18 European leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Mr. Starmer said that “a number” of other nations had indicated that they could join with Britain and France and deploy troops to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire between Kyiv and Moscow. He did not name those countries. Mr. Starmer announced plans to allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds in British export financing, or $2 billion, to buy more than 5,000 advanced air defense missiles. And he said he had spoken to President Trump on Saturday night and believed there could be “a positive outcome” with the United States. Other European leaders emerged from the summit, held in London, to say that the European Union would embark on a surge in military spending. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said the European Union would present a plan to do just that on Thursday. Europe, she said, will also fortify Ukraine with economic and military aid, aiming to turn the country into “a steel porcupine that is indigestible for potential invaders.” NATO’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte of the Netherlands, said several European countries that he did not name had pledged to increase their military spending, calling that a “very positive” signal. Mr. Rutte also insisted that Mr. Trump was committed to NATO, telling reporters after the meeting to “please stop gossiping” about the possibility that the United States would pull out of the alliance. And President Emmanuel Macron of France said his country and Britain would propose a one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine “in the air, on the seas and in energy infrastructures” to allow for negotiations on a peace agreement. He also told Le Figaro newspaper that European countries should aim to spend about 3 to 3.5 percent of their G.D.P. on defense, a level NATO plans to make its goal at its next summit meeting this summer. The London summit took on greater urgency after Mr. Zelensky’s heated meeting with Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office on Friday raised fears that the United States would try to strong-arm Ukraine’s president into making a peace deal. At the summit, Mr. Starmer, with Mr. Zelensky beside him, told the assembled leaders: “We’re gathered here today because this is a once-in-a-generation moment for the security of Europe, and we all need to step up. Getting a good outcome for Ukraine is not just a matter of right and wrong; it’s vital for the security of every nation here, and many others, too.” Mr. Starmer said that the European leaders had agreed at the summit to keep military aid flowing to Ukraine and maintain economic pressure on Russia, to ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty and security and to forge a “coalition of the willing” to police any cease-fire. “Those willing will intensify planning now with real urgency,” he said. The angry exchange in Washington on Friday was the latest sign that Mr. Trump was pivoting American foreign policy away from traditional U.S. allies like Ukraine and Europe. It also illustrated the seriousness of his plans to quickly end the war in Ukraine, which could result in a deal that empowered Russia. European leaders have lined up behind Ukraine and lauded its embattled president since the episode. In contrast, Secretary of State Rubio criticized Mr. Zelensky’s demeanor at the Oval Office, accusing him on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday of having “found every opportunity to try to ‘Ukraine-splain’ on every issue.” He said that he was “puzzled” by the pushback on the Trump administration and said that the president was being unfairly criticized for trying to help Ukraine by stopping the war. “The sooner people grow up and realize that, I think the more progress we’re going to be able to make,” he said. Here’s what else to know: British loan: Britain on Saturday announced a nearly $3 billion loan to Ukraine aimed at bolstering the war-torn country’s military capability. It will be paid back using profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets, and the first tranche of funding is expected to be disbursed to Ukraine next week, Britain’s Treasury said. Cyberoperations against Russia: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the Pentagon to halt offensive cyberoperations against Russia, a move that has not been publicly explained but may be part of a broader effort to draw Russia into talks on Ukraine. The order was issued before President Trump’s blowup in the Oval Office with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine on Friday. Read more › Judge’s order: A federal judge in Washington on Saturday blocked the Trump administration from ousting the top official at a federal watchdog agency, saying that its efforts to do so were unlawful. The judge’s order will allow the official, Hampton Dellinger, to remain the head of the Office of Special Counsel, which protects federal whistle-blowers. Read more › More troops on the border: The Pentagon is sending about 3,000 additional troops to the southwestern border, rushing to comply with Mr. Trump’s order to increase the military’s role in curtailing crossings. The reinforcements announced on Saturday would bring the total number of active-duty troops on the border to about 9,000, Defense Department officials said. Read more › Mark Landler is the London bureau chief of The Times, covering the United Kingdom, as well as American foreign policy in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. He has been a journalist for more than three decades. More about Mark Landler Stephen Castle is a London correspondent of The Times, writing widely about Britain, its politics and the country’s relationship with Europe. More about Stephen Castle Aurelien Breeden is a reporter for The Times in Paris, covering news from France. More about Aurelien Breeden Jeanna Smialek is the Brussels bureau chief for The Times. More about Jeanna Smialek

President Donald Trump expressed hope that Russia’s war in Ukraine is nearing an endgame as he met Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron on the third anniversary of the invasion. But France’s leader cautioned that it’s crucial that any potential agreement with Moscow does not amount to surrender for Ukraine.

Under what conditions could France – the only nuclear power in the EU since Brexit – provide deterrence on a European scale now that US protection against Russia is not guaranteed?