Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet in London on Monday with the leaders of the so-called E3—British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz—where negotiations tied to ending the war in Ukraine will top the agenda.
The meeting comes as reports emerged Sunday that Zelensky held a “difficult” two-hour call with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday. According to Axios, Washington again pressed Kiev on territorial concessions, which remain central to the Trump Administration’s current peace proposal. Zelensky reportedly refused to consider any withdrawal from Ukrainian territory, a stance that continues to stall progress.
Although U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have made limited progress on security guarantees, the territorial issue remains a deadlock. Previous discussions last week in Miami also failed to move Kiev’s position, with Ukrainian representatives rejecting the proposal outright.
European media is reporting that the E3 leaders intend to encourage Zelensky to hold firm against U.S. pressure to relinquish land. Their stance comes amid growing friction between NATO allies and Washington following the publication of the Trump Administration’s new National Defense Strategy, which criticizes the EU as a “strategic liability” and raises questions about a future U.S. commitment to European security.
With the E3 backing Kiev’s refusal to compromise on territory, the war appears unlikely to conclude soon. The move also risks reinforcing the growing view inside U.S. conservative circles—and increasingly within the administration—that European governments are prolonging the conflict and potentially seeking deeper U.S. involvement.
It has been commonplace for Zelensky since President Donald Trump assumed office in January to meet with European leaders following meetings or calls with American officials.
Following Zelensky's disastrous Oval Office meeting with Trump back in February, Zelensky flew to London to meet with Starmer where he was greeted with a hug and where Starmer reaffirmed the U.K.'s support for Zelensky.