Zelenskyy, Merz and Macron to meet at Starmer's to discuss US coercion of Ukraine to Russia's conditions - media
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday to ensure support for Kyiv amid concerns that the US may try to force Kyiv to accept a deal in which Russia played a significant role.
The Financial Times reported on Monday that the aim of the meeting in London would be to "support Ukraine’s unity at a difficult time," an unnamed Elysee Palace official told the publication. The talks would aim to "consolidate" the European-Ukrainian position on the terms of peace, which "will allow us to reach an agreement with the Americans on a solid basis," the official added. "It is important that the Americans hear from the Ukrainians what is possible and what is not," he said.
Zelenskyy is expected to brief other leaders on the latest talks between Ukrainian and American officials.
Merz is expected to brief his colleagues on Belgium’s opposition to EU plans to use frozen Russian sovereign assets after meeting Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever. The initiative, which Britain has offered to join and which EU leaders will discuss at a summit on December 18-19, envisages using frozen Russian sovereign assets held in Europe to raise a loan for Ukraine to finance its military and budgetary needs.
It is noted that European efforts to use frozen Russian assets have gained additional urgency after the White House proposed in November to use them for investments in Ukraine and Russia under the terms of its peace proposal.
During the talks at Downing Street, Merz is expected to raise concerns that Berlin, the largest supplier of military aid to Ukraine, could end up covering most of the costs of supporting Ukraine next year, given the financial constraints of France and the UK.
In addition to discussing with Western colleagues a plan to ensure the fairness of the US-brokered peace deal, Zelenskyy is likely to inquire about the possibility of receiving additional military and financial assistance, the report said.
"European concerns about the US position have intensified after the publication of the US national security strategy, in which European officials are accused of obstructing the conclusion of a peace deal… On Sunday, Starmer spoke with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and both confirmed the need for continued international support for Ukraine’s defense, Downing Street said," the publication writes.