(VOVWORLD) -Paris and London will propose a month-long "air and sea" ceasefire in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday evening in London at the end of the Summit on Ukraine hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
 Ukrainian soldiers fire armored howitzers during the conflict with Russia near Bahmut, Donetsk region. File photo: Reuters/VNA
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The French president also asked European countries to increase their defense budgets to 3-3.5% of GDP to adapt to the change in US priorities.
At a press conference after the Summit on Sunday, Prime Minister Starmer said European leaders had agreed to draw up a Ukraine peace plan to present to the United States, a vital step for Washington to be able to offer security guarantees that Kyiv says are essential.
“We are working with the US on this point after my meeting with President Trump last week. And let me be clear we agree with President Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together."
Mr. Starmer also said that the UK, Ukraine, France and a number of other countries will form a "coalition of the willing” and work on a peace plan to be discussed with US President Donald Trump.
"From my discussions over recent days, we’ve agreed that the UK, France and others will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting,” the UK prime minister told reporters after the summit. "Then, we’ll discuss that plan with the United States.”
Although he did not name the countries participating in the "coalition of the willing”, the UK leader said a number of other countries are ready to join this coalition.