More than 20 nations supporting Ukraine have pledged to remove Russian oil and gas from the global market, intensifying pressure on President Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing war.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who hosted the summit in London, said the coalition aimed to choke off funding for Russia’s war machine. The UK and US have already imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, while the European Union is targeting Moscow’s liquefied natural gas exports.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, also present at the summit, emphasized that continued pressure on Russia was the only path to stopping the fighting. However, there were no announcements regarding long-range missile deliveries to Ukraine, despite Zelensky’s repeated calls for such weapons to strengthen Ukraine’s defence.
During recent talks in Washington, US President Donald Trump made it clear that he was not prepared to supply Tomahawk missiles. In response, President Putin warned that any attack on Russian territory using such weapons would provoke an overwhelming reaction.
Following the London meeting, Starmer noted that Putin had shown no real interest in peace, and Ukraine’s allies had agreed on a clear plan to continue supporting the country through the year. This includes targeting Russia’s sovereign assets to help fund Ukraine’s defence, although specific details were not provided.
EU leaders also agreed to back Ukraine financially over the next two years but stopped short of approving the use of frozen Russian assets valued at €140 billion. Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, expressed hope that a decision on the issue would be made by Christmas Eve.
The coalition further promised to reinforce Ukraine’s air defences amid persistent Russian air assaults on civilian areas and energy infrastructure. Zelensky warned that Moscow was attempting to weaponize the winter cold to break the Ukrainian people’s spirit.
Despite the pledges, many Ukrainians remain focused on daily survival challenges, including power outages, heating shortages, and limited access to water caused by Russian attacks. Residents in cities such as Odesa and Kyiv described worsening living conditions as guided bomb strikes and blackouts continue to affect their lives.
The London summit also discussed further aid for Ukraine’s energy sector, though no specific commitments were announced. Leaders including Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and French President Emmanuel Macron participated in the discussions.
While Western allies have expressed support for Trump’s proposal to freeze fighting along the front lines to allow peace talks, Russia has rejected the idea, demanding terms Ukraine views as surrender.
Earlier in the day, President Zelensky met King Charles at Windsor, marking their third meeting this year.