Europe’s top leaders gathered in London on Monday, rallying around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
But not without raising eyebrows at parts of Washington’s latest peace proposal.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Zelensky alongside Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron at Downing Street.
All signaled support while quietly questioning the fine print of the US plan to end the war.
Tension flared after US President Donald Trump publicly scolded Zelensky for “not yet reading” the proposal, saying he was “a little bit disappointed.”
After nearly four years of war and yet another round of talks in Miami that produced no breakthrough, frustration is clearly mounting.
Diplomacy Faces Challenges
Merz didn’t hide his doubts either: “I’m sceptical about some of the details… but we have to talk about it.”
Macron echoed the sentiment, stressing the need to find “convergence” between Europe, Ukraine, and the US.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet at the UK prime minister’s residence in London, December 8, 2025.
Starmer, however, struck a reassuring tone. He hugged Zelensky at the door and insisted he wouldn’t pressure him into accepting any deal. “It has to be just and lasting,” he said.
Still, tough decisions loom. Zelensky admitted some issues simply “can’t be managed without Americans… or Europe.”
The biggest sticking point? Territory. And with frozen Russian assets on the table as potential funding, even Europe is treading carefully.
In a conflict where every solution creates new complications, peace remains the world’s most debated — and elusive — document.
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European Leaders Rally Behind Zelensky Following Trump Comments
Europe’s top leaders gathered in London on Monday, rallying around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
But not without raising eyebrows at parts of Washington’s latest peace proposal.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted Zelensky alongside Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron at Downing Street.
All signaled support while quietly questioning the fine print of the US plan to end the war.
Tension flared after US President Donald Trump publicly scolded Zelensky for “not yet reading” the proposal, saying he was “a little bit disappointed.”
After nearly four years of war and yet another round of talks in Miami that produced no breakthrough, frustration is clearly mounting.
Diplomacy Faces Challenges
Merz didn’t hide his doubts either: “I’m sceptical about some of the details… but we have to talk about it.”
Macron echoed the sentiment, stressing the need to find “convergence” between Europe, Ukraine, and the US.
Starmer, however, struck a reassuring tone. He hugged Zelensky at the door and insisted he wouldn’t pressure him into accepting any deal. “It has to be just and lasting,” he said.
Still, tough decisions loom. Zelensky admitted some issues simply “can’t be managed without Americans… or Europe.”
The biggest sticking point? Territory. And with frozen Russian assets on the table as potential funding, even Europe is treading carefully.
In a conflict where every solution creates new complications, peace remains the world’s most debated — and elusive — document.
Give us 1 week in your inbox & we will make you smarter.
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