Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speak on the steps of 10 Downing Street after a meeting in London, December 8, 2025. ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP
After a resigned silence came a discreet response. From London on Monday, December 8, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, reiterated their positions on resolving the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow, in a tone both polite and firm. "Ukraine's fate is Europe's fate (…) our support will not falter," the German chancellor said, expressing that he was "skeptical" about certain details of the peace plan drafted by the Americans after extensive talks with the Russians, before it was presented to the Ukrainians.
Europeans, kept out of these negotiations along with their allies in Kyiv, have "a lot of cards in our hands," Macron stressed, as if to counter US President Donald Trump, who for months has insisted that Zelensky did not "have the cards" and should give in to Russian leader Vladimir Putin's demands. The main issue, according to the French president, is "the convergence of our common positions, Europeans and Ukrainians, and the United States." Negotiations are set to continue with the US to clarify the security guarantees the continent is demanding to prevent any further Russian offensive.
