Europeans vow to back Kyiv as peace talks go on

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that talks with British PM Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron in London were productive, adding that the peace proposals were being finalised and would be shared with the US on Tuesday. Zelensky said the new proposals on how to end the war included 20 points, but that there was still no compromise over territory.

The talks were held amid what Kyiv’s European allies described as a “decisive time” in the US-led effort to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The European leaders vowed to back Ukraine amid mounting impatience from US President Donald Trump.




“This is the furthest we’ve got in four years, and we welcome the fact that these talks are continuing at every level,” said Starmer’s spokesman, Tom Wells, adding: “It isn’t a straight line between conflict and peace.” He said “intensive work” will continue in the coming days, although “there are still outstanding issues.”

The French president’s office said the session allowed the leaders “to continue working on the US plan in order to complement it with European contributions, in coordination with Ukraine.”

In an exchange with reporters on Sunday night, Trump appeared frustrated with Zelensky, claiming the Ukrainian leader “hasn’t yet read the proposal.” “Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelensky’s fine with it,” Trump said in Washington. “His people love it, but he hasn’t read it.” It’s not clear why Trump thought Zelensky hadn’t read the plan or who he was saying loved it. Ukrainian officials have made sparing comments about it and few details of the negotiations have been made public.

Starmer, Macron and Merz took a more supportive stance toward Kyiv in comments before their meeting, which lasted about two hours. The UK PM said the push for peace was at a “critical stage,” and stressed the need for “a just and lasting ceasefire.” Merz, meanwhile, said he was “sceptical” about some details in documents released by the US.

Zelensky said late Sunday that his talks with European leaders this week in London and Brussels will focus on security, air defence and long-term funding for Ukraine’s war effort. He said Monday that Ukraine needs support from both Europe and the US. “There are some things we can’t manage without the US, things which we can’t manage without Europe, and that’s why we need to make some important decisions,” he said. Starmer said he “won’t be putting pressure” on Zelensky to accept a peace settlement.