UKRAINE TALKS IN LONDON – UK PM Starmer welcomes Zelenskiy, Macron and Merz in London
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday (December 8) that unity between Europe, Ukraine and the U.S. was important when negotiating an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
He made the remark during a visit to London, where he is rallying support among Kyiv’s allies in a U.S.-led peace push.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Russia’s economy is starting to suffer after the latest round of sanctions, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was “sceptical” about certain aspects of the United States’ position on ending the war in Ukraine, but did not give further details.
Despite U.S. mediation and periodic high-level contacts, progress in the peace talks has been slow, with disputes over security guarantees for Kyiv and the status of Russian-occupied territory still unresolved.
Moscow says it is open to negotiations and blames Kyiv and the West for blocking peace, while Ukraine and its allies say Russia is stalling and using diplomacy to entrench its gains.
European leaders have backed a step-by-step diplomatic process for Ukraine, tied to long-term security guarantees and sustained military aid. Trump, however, has focused on rapid deal-making and burden-sharing, and diplomats warn that any talks remain fragile and vulnerable to shifts in U.S. politics.
