LEILA FADEL, HOST:
When Ukraine's president visited the White House Friday, it devolved into this.
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PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: From the very beginning of the war...
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: You're not in a good position. You don't have the cards right now.
FADEL: That's President Trump's scolding Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Friday.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
A day later, though, Zelenskyy got a very different reception in London.
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PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER: Let me just say that you're very, very welcome here in Downing Street, as you heard from the cheers on the street outside.
MARTIN: That's British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcoming Zelenskyy and telling him Europe has his back. They were joined yesterday by nearly 20 other global leaders, mostly from Europe, who pledged to work together to stop Russia's war in Ukraine.
FADEL: NPR's Lauren Frayer joins us now from London to discuss all this. Good morning, Lauren.
LAUREN FRAYER, BYLINE: Good morning.
FADEL: OK. Has Friday's meltdown at the White House spurred Europeans into action?
FRAYER: Well, we're going to have to see whether hugs and cheers outside and words of shock and support translate into action.
FADEL: Right.
FRAYER: After this summit, I hopped on the phone with Lord Peter Ricketts. He's a member of the House of Lords, a former U.K. ambassador to France and NATO, and I asked him to gauge the mood among leaders.
PETER RICKETTS: They were glad to be doing something, not just wringing their hands, about what looked like a terrible car crash in the Oval Office. And I heard a lot of expressions of determination that Europe must do more.
FADEL: Europe must do more. So what more do the Europeans say they're going to do?
FRAYER: Well, Britain and France say they're working with Ukraine on their own ceasefire plan, which they'll present to the U.S. It may entail deployment of British peacekeepers. Here's what Prime Minister Starmer said last night.
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STARMER: The U.K. is prepared to back this with boots on the ground and planes in the air, together with others. Europe must do the heavy lifting.
FRAYER: And by heavy lifting, he means funding Europe's defense. You know, since World War II, the U.S. has basically guaranteed Europe's security. But if that's no longer the priority under President Trump, European leaders say they're going to have to step up. Starmer has hiked British defense spending. He said other countries have pledged to do the same. Yesterday, Starmer also announced another $2 billion in financing for Ukraine to buy more air defense missiles.
FADEL: But can Europe do that without U.S. support?
FRAYER: Well, Europe has already actually given more aid to Ukraine than the U.S. has. But in terms of ending the war, they're using the phrase coalition of the willing, and they want it to be backed by the U.S. Prime Minister Starmer is really trying to sell Trump on security guarantees. And I asked Lord Ricketts what that could mean.
RICKETTS: You couldn't attack a European force if you were Russia without serious consequences, that the Americans would be there to support their European allies in some form. But I think it's a very long way from any clarity as to what President Trump might be willing to do, and I suspect not very much.
FRAYER: So that's a big question mark, you know, what role the U.S. would play on the ground or in the air over Ukraine, if any, and whether it would be enough for Europeans to feel secure in sending peacekeepers.
FADEL: OK, Lauren, so what happens next?
FRAYER: Well, there is a European Union summit later this week. A top EU official, Ursula von der Leyen, says she'll unveil plans there for the rearming of Europe. You know, as you know, there's no Europe-wide military. Countries have their own armies.
FADEL: Right.
FRAYER: Most are also part of NATO, but coordination among them could be a challenge. And leaving London last night, Von der Leyen said the goal is to turn Ukraine into a, quote, "steel porcupine that is indigestible for potential invaders." And by invaders, of course, she means Russia.
FADEL: NPR's Lauren Frayer with the view from Europe. Thank you, Lauren.
FRAYER: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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