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17.02.2025

17.02.2025 โ€” The Dance of Peace Without Europe

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This page is an archive of main headlines from the UK for 17.02.2025.

It displays 117 headlines from many sources chronologically, as they appeared throughout the day, accompanied by AI overviews that were written in real time.

17.02.2025 โ‡ข The Dance of Peace Without Europe
โŒจBritish leaders joined Europe's emergency response to US-Russia peace talks, with Starmer and the PM pledging British peacekeeping troops for Ukraine. The morning saw Russia explicitly rejecting European participation in Saudi negotiations, while Poland's Tusk declared refusal to send troops.

By afternoon, Zelenskyy stated Ukraine would not accept any deal made without its involvement. The Paris summit revealed deep divisions, with Germany's Scholz attempting to bridge the US-Europe gap. Evening brought Starmer's pivot to demanding US security guarantees as a "backstop" for any peace arrangement, marking a shift from morning's independent European posturing to acceptance of US leadership.

The media focus remained on diplomatic maneuvering, showing progression from previous days' European exclusion from peace talks to attempted assertion of relevance through military commitments, ending with acknowledgment of US primacy.
17.02.2025
01:03
06:56
BBC

Starmer 'ready' to put peacekeeping troops in Ukraine as Europe holds emergency talks

European leaders are meeting in Paris today to discuss Ukraine and defence policy, a day before US-Russia talks begin in Saudi.
06:56

07:22โ‡ขStarmer Volunteers British Boots for Ukraine

โŒจThe newspapers extensively cover Labour leader Starmer's statement about readiness to deploy British peacekeeping troops in Ukraine (BBC, Independent, Spectator), coinciding with European emergency talks in Paris ahead of US-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia (BBC, Sky). The BAFTAs ceremony results show Wallace & Gromit and 'Conclave' as major winners (Sun, Mirror). A new crime map of England and Wales draws attention to violent hotspots (Daily Mail).
07:30
08:05
08:16
The Guardian

UK ready to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine if peace deal reached

08:16
08:16
08:40
The Guardian

European leaders meet in Paris to discuss Ukraineโ€™s future

08:40
11:20
BBC

Europe holds Ukraine summit in Paris as Russia heads to Saudi for talks with US

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will discuss possible Ukraine peace talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh.
11:20
11:54
BBC

Russia says no role for Europe in Ukraine peace talks, as European leaders meet in Paris

"I don't know what they would be doing at the negotiating table," says Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
11:54
12:12
The Guardian

Poland will not send troops to Ukraine, says Donald Tusk

12:12
12:12

12:14โ‡ขRussia Slams Europe's Peace Door

โŒจThe newspapers report extensively on Russia's rejection of European involvement in Ukraine peace talks (BBC, New Statesman), while Labour leader Starmer pledges to send British peacekeepers to Ukraine (HuffPost, Independent). Poland explicitly refuses to send troops (Guardian), and peace activists warn against prolonging the conflict (Morning Star). The Munich Security Conference highlights growing US-Europe tensions, with particular attention to JD Vance's controversial speech (Breitbart, Spectator).
12:59
12:59
13:00
The Guardian

Ukraine will not accept US-Russia talks outcome if it is not involved, says Zelenskyy

13:00
13:00
The Guardian

Ukraine will not accept US-Russia talks outcome if it is not involved, says Zelenskyy

13:00
13:22
The Guardian

Ukraine will not accept US-Russia talks outcome if it is not involved, says Zelenskyy, as EU leaders meet for summit

13:22
13:22
14:31
The Guardian

Ukraine will not accept a Saudi-talks peace deal, says Zelenskyy

14:31
14:47
The Guardian

Europe at โ€˜turning pointโ€™ as leaders meet in Paris to discuss Ukraine crisis

14:47
14:59
BBC

Europe's Ukraine summit begins in Paris as Poland calls for immediate defence spend rise

Poland's PM said if Europe fails "to spend big on defence now, we will be forced to spend 10 times more" during war.
14:59

15:00โ‡ขParis Summit Tests Europe's War Nerve

โŒจThe newspapers extensively cover European leaders' emergency summit in Paris on Ukraine (BBC, Guardian, HuffPost), with Poland calling for immediate defense spending increase. Starmer's statement about deploying British troops draws mixed reactions (Breitbart, Morning Star, Spectator opposing). Parallel US-Russia talks are set to discuss Ukraine's future (Independent, Sky), highlighting Europe's struggle to maintain influence in peace negotiations.
16:07
16:15
BBC

Europe's Ukraine summit begins in Paris as Poland calls for immediate defence spend rise

Poland's PM said if Europe fails "to spend big on defence now, we will be forced to spend 10 times more" during war.
16:15
16:15
16:23
17:19
BBC

European leaders meeting at Ukraine summit as Poland calls for immediate defence spend rise

Poland's PM said if Europe fails "to spend big on defence now, we will be forced to spend 10 times more" during war.
17:19
17:35
BBC

European leaders meet at Ukraine summit as Poland calls for immediate defence spend rise

Poland's PM said if Europe fails "to spend big on defence now, we will be forced to spend 10 times more" during war.
17:35
17:35
The Guardian

Europe must continue to support Ukraine and not impose orders on it, Scholz says after Paris summit

17:35
17:36

17:37โ‡ขEurope Locked Out of Peace Room

โŒจThe newspapers extensively cover Europe's exclusion from US-Russia peace talks (Sky, Channel 4), with Poland calling for immediate defense spending increases (BBC). At the Paris summit, Scholz emphasizes continued Ukraine support (Guardian), while Starmer joins amid Zelensky's reported frustration (Independent). A significant shift in US-Europe defense relations emerges, with Channel 4 noting this as the most decisive moment since the Cold War's end.
17:59
17:59
The Guardian

Europe and US must not be divided over plan for peace in Ukraine, Scholz says after emergency summit

17:59
18:07
BBC

There should be no split between Europe and US on protecting Ukraine, Scholz says

The German chancellor says after meeting European leaders that any debate on sending peacekeepers to Ukraine is "premature".
18:07
18:32
18:39
The Guardian

Europe and US must not be divided over plan for peace in Ukraine, Scholz says

18:39
18:55
19:03
The Guardian

Europe and US must not be divided over Ukraine, Scholz says, as Tusk says relationship is at โ€˜new stageโ€™

19:03
19:11
The Guardian

No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine, Polandโ€™s Tusk insists, as Germany says Europe and US must not be split

19:11
19:27
BBC

Starmer says โ€˜there must be a US backstopโ€™ for any Ukraine peace deal

The prime minister says a "US security guarantee is the only way to effectively deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again".
19:27
19:27
The Guardian

US must provide โ€˜backstopโ€™ to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine again, Starmer says after emergency Paris summit

19:27

19:37โ‡ขStarmer Demands US Shield for Ukraine

โŒจThe newspapers heavily focus on Starmer's call for US security guarantees for Ukraine (BBC, Guardian, Independent, Sky, HuffPost, Mirror). This marks a shift from previous discussions of European exclusion, with Starmer specifically demanding a "US backstop" as the only effective deterrent against future Russian aggression. The Morning Star raises concerns about Starmer's suggestion of British troop deployment, while Putin's representatives continue pushing for Europe's exclusion from peace negotiations (HuffPost).
19:43
20:15
21:20

21:33โ‡ขParis Summit Sputters While Plane Flips

โŒจThe newspapers heavily cover an emergency summit in Paris on Ukraine, where European leaders failed to reach consensus on troop deployment (Breitbart, Channel 4). Starmer emphasizes the need for US security guarantees as the only deterrent against Russia (BBC, Guardian, Independent, Sky). Breaking news emerges of a Delta plane crash in Toronto with approximately 80 people aboard, with survivors reportedly walking away (Daily Mail, Metro, Mirror, Sun).
21:52
BBC

Three critically injured as plane flips over on landing in Toronto

All passengers and crew are accounted for after the crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
21:52
22:00
BBC

Plane flips over on landing in Toronto, leaving three critically injured

All passengers and crew are accounted for after the crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
22:00
22:08
The Guardian

Trump urged to provide โ€˜backstopโ€™ for European peacekeeping force at Ukraine summit

22:08
22:24
The Guardian

US โ€˜backstopโ€™ vital to deter future Russian attacks on Ukraine, says Starmer

22:24