European leaders, Zelensky hold talks in London at ‘crucial’ time for Ukraine

LONDON/KYIV - The leaders of France, Germany and Britain staged a strong show of support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in London on Dec 8 at what they described as a “crucial time” for Kyiv, under US pressure to agree to a proposed peace deal with Russia.

At a hastily arranged meeting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Mr Zelensky said they wanted to come up with firm plans in case of a peace deal.

A British government source said the leaders would discuss using the value of frozen Russian assets. Earlier, leaders from Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden urged the European Union to move quickly with a proposal to use the frozen assets to provide financing for Ukraine.

Mr Starmer, Mr Macron, Mr Merz and Mr Zelensky will also want to press on with efforts to get US security guarantees to help deter any further attacks from Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The publication of a US ceasefire plan in November has gone some way to focus the minds of European leaders, who fear that Kyiv could be forced to accept terms that are favourable to Moscow, and which some say could destabilise the continent.

“Very good to see you here on nearly the fourth anniversary of this awful conflict, at a critical stage now in the push for peace,” Mr Starmer said after welcoming the leaders to his Downing Street residence.

“We stand with Ukraine and if there was to be a ceasefire, it has to be a just and lasting ceasefire,” Mr Starmer said.

Mr Macron and Mr Merz also expressed their determination to press on with a firm plan, at a time the German chancellor described as “decisive... for all of us”.

Mr Zelensky pointed to the delicate balancing act the European powers need to strike as they try to negotiate better terms to the proposed US plan.

“There are some things we can’t manage without the Americans, things we can’t manage without Europe. That’s why we need to make some important decisions,” Mr Zelensky said.

Zelensky sets out priorities

Mr Zelensky told Ukrainians in a video address late on Dec 7 it was the start of a “new diplomatic week”.

“First and foremost, security issues, support for our resilience, and support packages for our defence. First and foremost, air defence and long-term funding for Ukraine. Of course, we will discuss a shared vision and common positions in the negotiations,” he said.

Ukraine is enduring one of the toughest stages of the nearly four-year war.

Russian troops are slowly grinding forward in the east, and Ukrainian cities and towns are suffering hours-long power cuts owing to intensified Russian strikes on the energy grid and other crucial infrastructure.

US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner brought a revised plan to Moscow last week, then held several days of further talks with Ukrainian officials in Miami, which ended on Dec 6 with no breakthrough.

Mr Zelensky

called the discussions constructive but not easy

.

Mr Trump said on Dec 7 he was “disappointed” with Mr Zelensky, who the US leader said had not read the latest proposed peace deal backed by the US.

Mr Zelensky’s top negotiator Rustem Umerov said he would brief the Ukrainian leader about his team’s dialogue with US officials and receive all documents related to the peace plan.

“The primary task of the Ukrainian team was to obtain from the American side full information about their conversation in Moscow and all drafts of current proposals to discuss them in detail with Ukraine’s President,” Mr Umerov said.

US officials said they were in the final stage of reaching an agreement. But there has so far been little sign that either Ukraine or Russia is willing to sign the framework deal drawn up by Mr Trump’s negotiating team. REUTERS