President Volodymyr Zelensky is ready to unveil a revamped peace proposal to US President Donald Trump tomorrow. This follows intense talks with European leaders in London, where Zelensky stood firm against handing over Ukrainian land to Russia. He also made a strong plea for more cash to buy American weapons.
European Leaders Back Zelensky as US Support Wobbles
Zelensky met with UK Labour leader Keir Starmer and the French and German heads of state. The European bigwigs showed solidarity amid fears Trump might be losing steam on supporting Ukraine. Starmer called the peace talks a “critical stage” as the US pushes to seal a deal.
- Last month, the US and Russia put forward a 28-point peace plan.
- Europe drafted a more balanced counterproposal.
- Meanwhile, US-Ukraine talks sharpen the agreement, reportedly shared with Putin last week.
- Trump claimed Zelensky hadn’t read the latest draft — Ukrainian officials quickly denied this.
No Land for Peace, Zelensky Vows
After Monday’s talks, Zelensky confirmed he’s updating the earlier 20-point plan, aiming to hand it to Trump Tuesday evening. The White House says sticking points are the fate of Ukraine’s Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.
“We have no legal right to do so… and we don’t have any moral right either,” Zelensky said. “Russia is insisting that we give up territories, but we don’t want to cede anything. We are fighting for that.”
He warned that security guarantees must be rock solid lest fighting flare up again. Next stop for Zelensky: Brussels for talks with NATO and EU leaders, then onto Italy.
Funding Gap Threatens Weapon Purchases
Zelensky revealed Ukraine faces a £600 million shortfall to buy planned US arms this year. He also forecasted needing $11.3 billion in 2025 for the PURL programme — US weapons funded with European money.
Downing Street welcomed the progress, calling the talks the “furthest we’ve got in four years,” while admitting challenges remain. Officials promised to ramp up efforts but warned peace is complicated.
Meanwhile, Trump slammed European leaders as “impotent” in a New York Post opinion piece shared on social media, mocking their sidelining from the peace negotiations.
