Ukraine's president in London for new talks

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with the United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders in London on Monday, to review a United States-brokered plan to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict after US President Donald Trump had said Kyiv "wasn't ready" to accept his proposal.

Zelensky held a joint meeting with Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron, and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Downing Street, followed by an individual meeting with the prime minister.

"We stand with Ukraine," Starmer said while welcoming Zelensky and others. "We stand here to support you in the conflict and support you in the negotiations."

Zelensky then attended a joint video call with other European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO chief Mark Rutte, before flying to Belgium for further in-person talks with them.

On Sunday, the US president expressed disappointment that Zelensky had allegedly not yet "read the proposal" drafted by the US after talks with Ukrainian officials in Miami during the prior week.

As reported by the BBC, Trump seemed to be referring to the latest draft of the proposed peace deal, which was updated in Miami after talks headed by Zelensky's new chief negotiator Rustem Umerov, and Trump's close aides, special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Around the same time as Trump's comments on Sunday, Zelensky said he was set to be briefed on the negotiations by Umerov, either in London or Brussels, noting "some issues must be discussed in person" rather than over the phone.

Zelensky indicated that discussions with Witkoff and Kushner proved "constructive, though not easy".

In his comments to reporters on Sunday, Trump added: "Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I'm not sure that Zelensky's fine with it. His people love it. But he isn't ready."

Sky News analysis ahead of the London meeting said Macron and Merz would stand with Starmer to signal support for Ukraine and Zelensky, but the latest developments in the peace talks would be the central focus.

Downing Street said the meeting would "center on the ongoing peace negotiations and next steps", while one UK Cabinet minister, Pat McFadden, was quoted by the BBC as saying it would look at how to ensure Ukraine is "free to determine its own future".

He stressed there must be robust security guarantees in the event of a peace deal, not a "toothless organization".

The UK and France have spearheaded talks to assemble a so-called "coalition of the willing", also known as the Multinational Force Ukraine, to provide future defense support, including a possible stabilization force deployed inside Ukraine.

jonathan@mail.chinadailyuk.com