BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the leaders of Britain, France and Germany in London on Monday, seeking to reinforce a united European front as negotiations over a U.S.-backed peace proposal enter a decisive phase. Officials from all four nations described the gathering as a critical moment in efforts to forge a path toward ending Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, now approaching its fourth year.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 10 Downing Street for two hours of discussions focused on security guarantees, territorial integrity and the future role of Western partners in enforcing any agreement. The meeting came as U.S. President Donald Trump has grown increasingly impatient with Kyiv’s position and has urged Ukrainian leaders to make concessions.
Following the talks, the leaders placed calls to other European allies, urging them to maintain pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin both economically and diplomatically. Starmer’s office said the four leaders agreed that Ukraine’s survival and long-term security depend on sustained international resolve.
“The leaders all agreed that now is a critical moment and that we must continue to ramp up support to Ukraine and economic pressure on Putin to bring an end to this barbaric war,” Downing Street said.
Tom Wells, Starmer’s spokesman, told reporters the discussions made meaningful progress but that “intensive work” will continue in the days ahead, as several issues remain unsettled. Macron’s office said the meeting helped refine Europe’s approach to the U.S. peace plan and outline areas where European commitments could complement Washington’s proposals.
Speaking with reporters in a WhatsApp session later Monday, Zelenskyy revealed that the latest draft of the U.S. plan contains 20 points instead of the 28 previously circulated, saying several “obvious anti-Ukrainian” elements had been removed. However, he said fundamental questions remain unresolved, particularly regarding long-term security.
“What if after the end of the war, Russia starts another aggression? What will the partners be ready for? What could Ukraine count on?” Zelenskyy asked. He said these answers must form the core of any security guarantees provided by Europe and the United States.
Tensions between Kyiv and Washington were evident over the weekend when Trump accused Zelenskyy of not reading the peace proposal. Zelenskyy dismissed the claim Monday, saying Trump “certainly wants to end the war” but that Ukrainians see the details differently because “this is our motherland.”
Ahead of the meeting, Starmer, Macron and Merz all voiced public support for Kyiv. Starmer called the peace process a “critical stage,” while Merz said he remained “skeptical” about some aspects of the U.S. proposal but came to London determined to address concerns directly. “The coming days could be a decisive time for all of us,” he said.
A major obstacle remains the reported suggestion within the U.S. plan that Ukraine accept the loss of the Donbas region, large parts of which remain under unlawful Russian occupation. Kyiv has rejected the idea outright, and European leaders have privately signaled that such concessions would undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and reward Russian aggression. Starmer reaffirmed that he “won’t be putting pressure” on Zelenskyy to accept terms he considers unacceptable.
Trump has repeatedly suggested Ukraine should cede territory to end the war, a position that has alarmed both NATO allies and Ukrainian officials. His administration’s newly released national security strategy only heightened European concerns. The document calls for improving relations with Russia and argues that NATO should not be a “perpetually expanding alliance,” echoing long-standing Kremlin narratives.
Russia welcomed the U.S. strategy. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it aligns with Moscow’s desire for “constructive, friendly relations” and suggested it could help pull the two countries out of what he described as a “deep crisis.”
European capitals, however, were unsettled by the document’s harsh tone toward immigration and free-speech policies in Europe, as well as its framing of civilizational risk. Starmer’s office declined to comment on the U.S. document, calling it an internal American matter.
Meanwhile, the war continued unabated. Ukrainian officials reported multiple Russian drone attacks overnight. In Okhtyrka, seven people were injured when drones struck a residential high-rise, heavily damaging the building. In Chernihiv, a drone exploded near an apartment complex, injuring three people and damaging a kindergarten, gas lines and vehicles. Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 131 of 149 drones launched by Russia.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, in turn, claimed it shot down 67 Ukrainian drones across 11 regions overnight.
Zelenskyy said his meetings in London and Brussels this week will focus on securing air-defense systems, long-term funding commitments and a unified Western approach to any negotiation framework. “There are some things we can’t manage without the Americans, things which we can’t manage without Europe,” he said. “That’s why we need to make some important decisions.”
Starmer’s office said the four leaders instructed their national security advisers to continue talks immediately, emphasizing the goal of a “just and lasting peace” anchored in firm security guarantees that prevent Russia from launching future attacks.
As the diplomatic clock accelerates, the question now is whether Kyiv, Washington and Europe can align on a path that ends the war without sacrificing Ukraine’s sovereignty or long-term security—while Russian drones and missiles continue to remind Ukrainians that the fighting remains far from over.
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