UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday plans for a UK-France initiative to craft a lasting peace plan for Ukraine, following the public debacle between US President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky last week, Azernews reports.

This step is signaling a push for greater European leadership in resolving the ongoing conflict, with the UK returning into the European spotlight following Brexit.

What is the plan for the UK and France?

Speaking on the BBC, Starmer emphasized the importance of Europe in stepping up its role in global diplomacy, particularly in light of the war in Ukraine, which has devastated the region since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

The UK premier is joining those growing calls for European nations to take more responsibility in addressing international crises rather than relying heavily on the United States.

“We’ve now agreed that the UK, along with France and possibly one or two others, will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, and then we’ll discuss that plan with the United States,” Starmer told the BBC on Sunday morning.

Starmer revealed that he engaged in a day of high-stakes diplomacy on Saturday, following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s tense meeting in Washington, where he was publicly confronted by Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance.

The British PM welcomed Zelensky to Downing Street before reaching out to both French President Emmanuel Macron and Trump in an effort to demonstrate unwavering support for Ukraine while attempting to mend strained relations between Kyiv and Washington.

This shows the clear intention of London to work as a mediator between Europe and the US.