Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet key European allies as the United States ramps up pressure on Kyiv to agree to a peace plan designed to end the war with Russia.
Zelenskyy will meet British, French and German leaders in London on Monday to seek backing on defence and security, and to convene on the revised US peace plan.
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Zelenskyy said the diplomatic consultations will address both immediate concerns as well as long-term funding for his war-battered country.
The Ukrainian leader will also meet NATO chief Mark Rutte, and EU leaders Antonio Costa and Ursula von der leyen in Brussels, as concerns grow that the US is trying to force Kyiv to accept unfavourable terms.
US President Donald Trump has appeared to adopt a “great powers” approach and to be drawn to accepting Russian narratives in his self-appointed role as the ultimate mediator in the war, which erupted four years ago with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A 28-point plan drawn up by Trump’s advisers that was leaked last month was widely criticised as a virtual “Russian wishlist”.
Ukrainian officials then worked with European allies to try to develop a new deal, which was then shared with the US.
‘He isn’t ready’
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner took a revised plan to Moscow last week. They then held several days of talks with Ukrainian officials in Miami, which ended on Saturday with no breakthrough.
The biggest sticking point is understood to be a requirement that Ukraine cede control of its eastern Donbas region to Russia, which currently illegally occupies most but not all of the territory.
In comments reported by Bloomburg, Zelenskyy said that the latest proposal requires further discussion on “sensitive issues,” including security guarantees for Ukraine and control of its eastern territories.
“There are visions of the US, Russia and Ukraine, and we don’t have a unified view on Donbas,” he said early on Monday, adding that Kyiv is seeking a separate pact on security guarantees from Western allies, particularly the US.
Trump has previously chastised Zelenskyy for refusing to give up Donbas. Ukraine and its European allies have balked at the idea of handing over land to the aggressor.
Trump expressed concern on Sunday as he asserted that Zelenskyy had not read the latest plan.
“Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelenskyy’s fine with it. His people love it. But he isn’t ready.”
Ukraine is facing one of the toughest phases of the nearly four-year war, with Russian forces advancing in the east and intensified attacks causing widespread power outages across cities and towns.
Zelenskyy called the discussions in Miami constructive but not easy.
The Ukrainian leader’s top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said on Monday that he would brief the president about his team’s dialogue with US officials and receive all documents related to the peace plan.
US officials said they are 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 a peace deal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has not publicly expressed approval for the latest plan. Last week, he stated that aspects of the proposal were unworkable, despite the document reportedly heavily favouring Moscow.
Russia has, however, welcomed a new national security strategy issued last week by the Trump administration, stating it is largely in line with Moscow’s vision.
The US document last week warns that Europe faces so-called “civilizational erasure”, identifies ending the war in Ukraine as a “core” US interest, and signals a shift towards restoring “strategic stability” with Moscow.
