London, Dec 9: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Monday as European leaders sought to strengthen Kyiv’s position in difficult negotiations over a US-backed peace plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
Zelenskyy said his meetings in London and later in Brussels will focus on securing long-term military, air-defence and financial guarantees to ensure any future ceasefire is durable and backed by both Europe and the United States.
The diplomatic push follows three days of talks between US and Ukrainian officials aimed at narrowing differences over Washington’s proposal.
Zelenskyy described the discussions as “substantive,” but a major point of disagreement remains: a suggestion that Ukraine cede control of the Russian-occupied Donbas region.
Kyiv and its European allies firmly reject any territorial concessions. Starmer emphasised he would not pressure Ukraine into accepting an unfair peace.
In Washington, President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Zelenskyy, claiming he had not read the proposal and arguing that Ukraine should consider giving up territory.
Trump has repeatedly criticised the cost of US support for Ukraine and urged territorial concessions as a path to ending the nearly four-year war.
The London talks also come after the release of a new US national security strategy that unsettled European governments but was welcomed by Moscow.
The document outlines a U.S. desire to improve relations with Russia, limit NATO expansion and end the war to restore “strategic stability.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised the policy’s emphasis on dialogue and the possibility of easing tensions.
Starmer’s government declined to comment, calling the strategy an internal US matter.
Russian forces continued to attack Ukraine on Monday as diplomatic efforts continued.
Russian drones struck a residential high-rise in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Okhtyrka overnight, injuring seven people, the head of the regional administration, Oleh Hryhorov, wrote on Telegram.
He said that the building suffered extensive damage.
Elsewhere, in the northern city of Chernihiv, a Russian drone injured three people when it exploded outside a residential building, regional head Viacheslav Chaus said.
The attack also damaged a kindergarten, domestic gas pipes and cars.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Monday that Russia fired a total of 149 drones across the country overnight, of which 131 were neutralised and 16 more struck their targets.
Meanwhile, Russian air defences destroyed 67 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said Monday.
he drones were shot down over 11 Russian regions, it said.