Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting Sir Keir Starmer and the French and German leaders at Downing Street, hoping to maintain the momentum of peace talks. Follow the latest on the Ukraine war.
Monday 8 December 2025 14:07, UK
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Zelenskyy, Starmer, Macron and Merz are all inside Downing St now, sat down for their meeting.
We brought you news earlier of some brief remarks the leaders made ahead of the talks (see our 13.24 post), but what will the leaders be discussing?
Diplomatic efforts are currently centred around the US-proposed peace plan and potential sticking points.
One long-standing issue, security guarantees, seems to be high on today’s agenda, according to the leaders themselves.
‘Security must be guaranteed’
After landing in the UK, posting on Telegram, Zelenskyy hinted at the importance of such guarantees, saying:
“In the UK. Meetings and coordination talks are planned with our European partners. We are joining our efforts to end this war with a decent peace for Ukraine. Security must be guaranteed.”
Sir Keir Starmer has also said the leaders will discuss security guarantees today.
He told PA: “The four of us will have the opportunity to go through the various issues [of the peace plan], to do it privately, and to make progress.
Starmer added: “It is important that we bear in mind that this conflict is nearly four years old, that Russia is the aggressor, and therefore, if there is to be a ceasefire, it needs to be just – because Ukraine has taken heavy, heavy losses and paid a very heavy price for a war which was not of their making – but it’s also got to be lasting, because we know Putin does not respect agreements that don’t have hard-edged security guarantees behind them, so that’s what we’ll be focusing on.”
Our international correspondent John Sparks says the meeting in London of leaders from Britain, France, Germany and Ukraine was “not infused with a great deal of optimism”.
“The Europeans have got a real problem on their hands, they’re trying to support the Ukrainians as the Ukrainians come under an extreme amount of pressure, both on the battlefield from the Russians and from Donald Trump,” Sparks warns.
Watch his analysis here…
We’re hearing from the leaders after their arrival at Downing Street as they pose for photographs.
Sir Keir Starmer says “matters for Ukraine are for Ukraine” as he says today’s negotiations are a “critical stage of the push for peace”.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy adds: “Things that are very important for today are… unity between Europe, Ukraine and US.”
He thanks his allies for organising the meeting, saying: “I think it is very important to organise such meetings.”
He also says the four of them have “important decisions” to make today.
Emmanuel Macron says: “The Russian economy is starting to suffer, especially after our latest sanctions.”
The French leader adds: “We all support Ukraine and we all support peace.”
Friedrich Merz says he is “sceptical about some of the details in documents coming from the US”, but adds that’s why the leaders have gathered today.
He says “this could be a decisive time for all of us, so we are trying to continue our support for Ukraine… the destiny of this country [Ukraine] is the destiny of Europe”.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just arrived at Downing Street.
As with the previous two leaders, Sir Keir Starmer greeted Ukraine’s president, who could be seen smiling as he walked up to No 10, with a handshake and warm embrace.
Zelenskyy then gestured towards Larry, the Downing Street cat, who was sat waiting at the door, as the pair then walked inside.
Emmanuel Macron is arriving at Downing Street now.
He’s the second leader to arrive this afternoon after Germany’s Friedrich Merz.
Like Merz, Starmer welcomed Macron with a handshake and an embrace.
Some reporters shouted out questions but the world leaders didn’t respond.
The E3 leaders (Britain, Germany and France) are going to be joined by Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly.
Friedrich Merz is the first European leader arriving at Downing Street now.
The German leader is going to sit down with Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy this afternoon for a meeting.
Starmer greeted Merz on the No 10 doorstep with the pair shaking hands before heading inside.
Our international correspondent John Sparks describes Zelenskyy’s trips to London and then Brussels today as meeting “Europe’s A-list”.
Speaking ahead of the world leaders arriving at Downing Street this afternoon, he says Zelenskyy’s visit is about “presentation” and comes as:
“The Ukrainians are in a really difficult situation right now. They are getting push back at the front. Their forces haven’t been broken, but they are bending.”
Sparks says that one Ukrainian source described Zelenskyy’s position as “zugzwang” – a German term for a chess player who only has bad moves left to make, but must make a move.
Watch his latest analysis here…
Downing Street staff are busy adding some finishing touches at the entrance to Number 10 ahead of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s imminent arrival…
We’re expecting Volodymyr Zelenskyy to arrive at Downing Street shortly.
Ukraine’s president will hold talks with Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz about negotiations over the US peace proposal, with all four men expected to give brief statements before they do.
You can watch the action via the live stream at the top of this page. We’ll also bring you live text updates.
There’s a scenario where Ukraine’s European allies could welcome Donald Trump walking away from the war in Ukraine, our defence analyst Michael Clarke says.
Speaking about the Atlantic Bastion programme (see our 10.45 post), Clarke adds that Britain is stepping up in a historically important theatre of conflict.
He also touches on the US peace plan, which he calls the US “surrender plan”.
Watch his analysis here…
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