Ukraine will present a revised peace plan to the United States on Tuesday in an effort to counterbalance a U.S.-backed draft widely viewed as favourable to Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said after talks in London with European leaders.
The meeting, hastily convened at Downing Street, brought together British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Zelenskiy. The leaders sought to strengthen Kyiv’s negotiating position as the war approaches its fourth year.
Zelenskiy told reporters the new plan contained 20 points but stressed that no compromise had been reached on the issue of ceding territory to Russia. “Of course, there are complex issues related to the territory, and a compromise has not yet been found there,” he said, repeating his position that Ukraine cannot surrender any land.
European Push for Frozen Assets
A British government source said the talks also focused on using the value of Russian assets frozen in the West. Leaders from Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden have urged the European Union to move quickly on a stalled proposal to channel those funds to Ukraine.
Starmer, Macron and Merz joined Zelenskiy in calling for U.S. security guarantees to deter further Russian aggression. “We stand with Ukraine and, if there was to be a ceasefire, it has to be a just and lasting ceasefire,” Starmer said. Merz described the moment as “decisive … for all of us.”
U.S. Pressure and Diplomatic Tensions
The publication of a U.S. ceasefire plan last month has raised concerns among European leaders that Kyiv could be forced to accept Russian demands, potentially destabilising the continent. While U.S. officials say they are close to finalising an agreement, neither Ukraine nor Russia has signalled readiness to sign the framework deal drafted by President Donald Trump’s negotiators.
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner visited Moscow last week before holding several days of talks with Ukrainian officials in Miami. Zelenskiy described the discussions as “constructive but not easy.” Trump later said he was “disappointed” with Zelenskiy, accusing him of not reading the latest U.S.-backed proposals.
Ukraine’s Priorities
In a video address to Ukrainians, Zelenskiy outlined his priorities for the “new diplomatic week,” including air defence, long-term funding, and resilience support. He acknowledged the delicate balance between U.S. and European positions, saying: “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.”
Ukraine faces one of its toughest phases of the war, with Russian forces advancing in the east and intensified strikes causing widespread power outages across cities and towns.
