European leaders are engaged in a frantic diplomatic effort at the G20 summit in South Africa, racing to assemble a counter-proposal to a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine jointly advanced by the United States and Russia. The fast-moving developments surrounding former President Trump's proposed deal are dominating the gathering, as allies work to reinsert Ukraine into negotiations from which it has been sidelined.
A Diplomatic Tightrope for Kyiv
Ukraine finds itself in an acutely difficult position. Analysts note that Kyiv cannot afford to outright reject the Washington initiative, as it remains heavily reliant on American military support to continue its war effort. However, accepting the current terms is also deemed unacceptable, as the proposal is seen as acutely favourable to Russia. The plan reportedly requires Ukraine to cede territory beyond what is currently occupied by Moscow and would significantly reduce the size of its armed forces.
In response, European nations are now urgently developing alternative proposals to present to President Trump ahead of his stated deadline of Thursday to agree on a deal. Overnight, the UK government reaffirmed its stance that any agreement must deliver a "just and lasting peace" for Ukraine.
Coordinating a European Response
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is at the forefront of these efforts. After holding phone calls on Friday with E3 allies—President Macron of France, Chancellor Merz of Germany, and President Zelenskyy of Ukraine—he is conducting further discussions with key partners today. The objective is to formulate a cohesive strategy for handling President Trump and improving the deal's terms for Ukraine.
Diplomatic sources indicate that allies are being exceptionally cautious not to publicly criticise Trump or his approach, fearing it could worsen an already delicate situation. Instead, the Prime Minister is focusing his critiques on Russia. "There is only one country around the G20 table that is not calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine and one country that is deploying a barrage of drones and missiles to destroy livelihoods and murder innocent civilians," Starmer said on Friday evening.
He added, "Time and again, Russia pretends to be serious about peace, but its actions never live up to its words."
The Push to 'Strengthen' the US Plan
Regarding the Trump proposal, the Prime Minister stated that allies are meeting on Saturday "to discuss the current proposal on the table, and in support of Trump's push for peace, look at how we can strengthen this plan for the next phase of negotiations." In diplomatic terms, "strengthening" the plan is understood to mean rebalancing it towards Ukraine's position and imposing tougher conditions on Russia.
"Ukraine has been ready to negotiate for months, while Russia has stalled and continued its murderous rampage. That is why we must all work together with both the US and Ukraine, to secure a just and lasting peace once and for all," Starmer asserted. He emphasised the need for proactive measures, stating, "We cannot simply wait for peace. We must strain every sinew to secure it."
A significant point of contention for European partners is that they had not even seen the details of the deal earlier in the week, a sign that the US may be initially circumventing traditional allies in these negotiations. There is ongoing discussion about the possibility of European leaders, such as President Macron and Prime Minister Meloni, travelling to Washington to persuade Trump of the European and Ukrainian perspective. However, Sky News understands that there are currently no plans for Prime Minister Starmer to make such a trip next week, ahead of the UK budget.
