Ukraine and its closest European allies have outlined five key conditions for a possible peace deal with Russia.
After talks in London, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz issued a joint statement promising continued support for Kyiv.
The leaders said any agreement must be fair, lasting, and built around Ukraine’s security and sovereignty.
Five Conditions for Peace Talks
The leaders said the first step must be a halt to the fighting. They also said negotiations should begin from the current military positions on the battlefield, rather than from Russia’s wider territorial demands.
They called for strong security guarantees for Ukraine and stressed that Kyiv must be free to choose its own alliances and security arrangements.
The group also said the United States must remain part of the peace process, even as President Donald Trump’s attention has shifted toward the war with Iran.
Europe Supports Direct Ukraine-Russia Dialogue
The UK, France, and Germany welcomed Zelensky’s recent open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. In the letter, Zelensky called for direct negotiations to end the war.
The European leaders said they support direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, but only with active involvement from the United States and Europe.
Their statement appeared to push back against Moscow’s demand that Ukraine abandon its goal of joining NATO.
War Escalates Despite Diplomacy
The diplomatic push comes as fighting between Russia and Ukraine continues to intensify.
Russia has launched repeated missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, while Ukraine has shown growing ability to strike deeper inside Russian territory using new technology.
On Saturday, Ukrainian drones struck St Petersburg as the city hosted the final day of a major economic forum. Russian officials described the attack as unprecedented.
Days earlier, Kyiv had also targeted areas near the same city, around 1,000km from Ukraine.
Putin Rejects Zelensky’s Offer
Zelensky’s call for direct talks has so far been rejected by Putin.
The Russian leader has said he sees no point in meeting Zelensky at this stage and has repeated that the war will only end when Russia achieves its goals.
Moscow’s long-standing demands include Ukrainian withdrawal from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, as well as Ukraine giving up its NATO ambitions.
Kyiv has rejected those demands, saying surrendering territory would only encourage future Russian aggression.
Chornobyl Site Hit by Drone
Before arriving in London, Zelensky accused Russia of carrying out a dangerous strike near the Chornobyl nuclear plant.
Ukrainian officials said a drone hit a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel near the site. No injuries were reported, and radiation levels remained normal after firefighters put out the blaze.
Ukraine’s state nuclear operator, Enerhoatom, said the strike partially damaged the storage building and accused Russia of threatening nuclear safety.
Zelensky described the attack as deliberate and called the facility critical infrastructure.
Zaporizhzhia Also Under Attack
Separately, Ukrainian authorities said at least three people were killed in a Russian strike on a village near Zaporizhzhia.
The region has faced repeated Russian attacks in recent days. At least two people were also reported killed there on Saturday.
The latest strikes have added urgency to Ukraine’s calls for stronger air defence and greater international pressure on Moscow.
Peace Path Remains Difficult
The London statement shows that Ukraine’s European allies remain united behind Kyiv’s position.
Their message is clear: peace talks must not reward Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s security choices must be respected, and any deal must include firm guarantees.
However, with Putin rejecting direct talks, Russia continuing attacks, and Ukraine striking deeper into Russian territory, the road to peace remains uncertain.