European nations must "confirm our steadfast support for Ukraine", Sir Keir Starmer urged as he opened a meeting of leaders on Thursday.
At the meeting at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the Prime Minister said the first task of the European Political Community (EPC) would be shoring up support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his people.
“Every day Ukraine’s fight affects not just the Ukrainian people, but the European people,” he said.
“A continent where our belief in freedom, democracy and the rule of law was hard won and that wants to live in peace.”
Mr Zelensky, who joined the summit, said he would “sign an intergovernmental agreement with the UK on support for the Ukrainian defence and industrial complex, discuss future defence co-operation, and expand our defence capabilities”.
“Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the UK has been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine. This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror,” he said.
He added that his army had “stopped Russian advances on Kharkiv" and that the Vladimir Putin had sacrificed "tens of thousands of his citizens but has achieved nothing significant".
Mr Zelensky also praised the "bravery of our warriors and the bravery of our partners", who he said had lifted limitations on the "use of weapons" along Ukraine's border.
He urged Europe's leaders to show collective will to take these steps to help stop Russia's aggression.
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Sir Keir said he was struck by Mr Zelensky's comments at Nato that Ukraine needs more air defence before children go back to school.
"And that really struck me because returning to school after the summer break, that should be a moment of joy, of excitement for children - new uniforms, new exercise books, seeing how much their friends have grown over the summer holidays and reuniting with friends,” he said.
"How could anyone consider that a target? So our first task here today is to confirm our steadfast support for Ukraine, to unite once again behind those values that we cherish and to say we will face down aggression on this continent together."
The summit provides an early opportunity for Sir Keir to press ahead with efforts to build closer ties with Europe, particularly the European Union’s 27 members.
He wants to strike a security pact with the EU and also seeks to address some of the trading problems under the current Brexit deal.
Sir Keir also stressed his Government’s support for the European Convention on Human Rights after the Conservatives had flirted with the idea of pulling out of the agreement.
The UK would be a “friend and a partner ready to work with you” and “not part of the European Union, but very much part of Europe”, he told the summit.
The gathering at Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill, is a more informal affair than many international summits.
The leaders will attend a reception hosted by the King in the palace’s Long Library, which has walls lined by more than 10,000 books,
Sir Keir will have a series of face-to-face talks with key figures including a dinner with Emmanuel Macron and a meeting with Polish counterpart Donald Tusk – who was president of the European Council at the height of the Brexit drama – as he attempts to strengthen ties with the continent.
The EPC was the brainchild of French President Mr Macron and involves 20 non-EU nations including the UK as well as the 27-strong EU bloc.
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