Tusk, 'Sunday meeting in London on common defense plans'. Kremlin: 'Extensive interaction with the US on rare earths'

A group of European leaders will travel to London on Sunday to meet with their British counterparts to develop joint defense plans, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced after a bilateral meeting with European Council President Antonio Costa . "I am convinced that the European Union will be truly united on the issue of Ukraine. And that on March 6 we will strengthen Ukraine in its defense against Russia and weaken it," Tusk added. "The fact that some in Europe are finally starting to talk more and more boldly about using frozen Russian assets in one way or another shows that this security is becoming a real priority for the entire European Union, including the financing of security-related expenses," Tusk stressed. The Polish prime minister added: "The vote at the United Nations has shown that Europe is practically, with one exception, united, and when it comes to Ukraine, there is no surprise."

There are "vast" possibilities for cooperation between Washington and Moscow in the extraction of rare earths, because the US needs them and Russia has enough, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by the Interfax agency.

Peskov, however, made it clear that any economic agreements with the US will be possible only after an agreement is reached to end the Ukrainian conflict. "The next thing on the agenda," the spokesman said, "is the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. And then, especially since the Americans themselves have spoken about this, the time will come to consider possible projects for trade, economic and investment cooperation. There are very broad prospects for this."

Peskov then praised the "much more balanced position" taken by the United States at the UN, "which really helps efforts to resolve the conflict around Ukraine" and added that "perhaps, based on the results of contacts between Europeans and Americans" Europe too "will somehow gravitate towards greater balance".

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer intends to raise the issue of unity among allies on the Ukrainian issue with US President Donald Trump on Thursday in Washington and on the need to address "the threats" that Russia continues to pose "with force" from positions of "strength": to achieve "peace through force in Ukraine". Starmer spoke about it in Parliament announcing a review of defense spending. The prime minister then reiterated that he considers NATO "a pillar" on a par with security in Europe and that he does not want to choose between the vital alliance with the US and that with European allies.

The threats gathering over Europe "historically fall on our shoulders". Prime Minister Keir Starmer said this in the House of Commons, setting new lines on defence three years "after the cowardly Russian invasion of Ukraine", announcing the increase in defence spending to 2.5% "from 2027" and subsequent increases year by year. Spending destined to reach 2.6% by adding extra allocations for intelligence. Starmer then indicated the objective of 3% in the next legislature (after 2029) and encouraged European NATO allies to do the same.

Costa: 'tomorrow video call of the 27 EU, Macron will update us'

"To prepare for the extraordinary European Council on March 6, I am organizing a video conference of the members of the European Council." This was announced on X by the President of the European Council Antonio Costa. On this occasion "we will hear a report from President Emmanuel Macron on his recent visit to Washington DC," he added.