Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set for a critical diplomatic visit to Downing Street on Monday, where more than a warm welcome will be required. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will host the leader alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a high-stakes E3 summit on the war in Ukraine.
High-Level Talks Amid Fragile Peace Negotiations
The meeting, scheduled for Monday 8 December 2025, is intended to move beyond symbolic solidarity. The core agenda will be a detailed discussion on the state of peace negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia. The leaders are expected to map out potential next steps should a deal be reached and scrutinise what its implementation might entail.
Ahead of the summit, Sir Keir held talks with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Both leaders concurred that continued international support for Ukraine's defence remains non-negotiable, affirming that European security is inextricably linked to Ukraine's.
However, the backdrop to these talks is relentless Russian aggression. Kyiv continues to face regular drone and missile attacks, underscoring that warm words alone will not satisfy the embattled Ukrainian president.
Trump Administration's Role and Russian Demands
The diplomatic landscape is complicated by parallel engagement from the United States. On Saturday, President Zelenskyy held what he described as a "constructive, although not easy" call with Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the former president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. Zelenskyy stated the American representatives were aware of Ukraine's core positions.
Adding to the complex picture, outgoing US Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg claimed a peace agreement is "really close". Speaking at the Reagan National Defence Forum, Kellogg, who steps down in January, suggested negotiations were in "the last 10 metres". He identified the future status of the Donbas region and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as the two primary unresolved issues.
Meanwhile, Moscow has issued a stark warning. Yuri Ushakov, a top foreign policy aide to President Vladimir Putin, told Russian media that "radical changes" are necessary to the current US-Ukraine peace plan before it could become acceptable to the Kremlin. He insisted the US must make "serious, I would say, radical changes to their papers".
A Critical Juncture for European Security
This gathering of E3 leaders in London represents a pivotal moment. It signals a coordinated European effort to steer the next phase of the conflict, whether towards a negotiated settlement or a prolonged defence. The outcome hinges on aligning Ukrainian needs with Western support, all while navigating a volatile US political landscape and an intransigent Russia.
The summit's success will be measured not by photo opportunities, but by tangible progress on securing Ukraine's future and, by extension, stabilising the European continent. With Russia's war machine showing no sign of abating, the pressure on Sir Keir Starmer and his counterparts to deliver substantive outcomes is immense.
