Zelenskyy to meet Starmer at Downing Street to discuss US draft peace deal

Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Downing Street on Monday for an in-person meeting with Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz in a show of support for Ukraine.Starmer will use the meeting with the leaders from Ukraine, France and Germany to discuss the ongoing talks between US and Ukrainian officials aimed at finding an agreement on guaranteeing Ukraine’s postwar security.The four leaders took part in a virtual meeting of the “coalition of the willing” about two weeks ago, where they discussed plans to provide a European peacekeeping force that could be deployed to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.In a statement about the meeting released by the European Council, the trio expressed full support for “President Trump’s comments that the current line of contact must be the starting point for any talks”.The draft peace deal, quietly brokered between US and Russian officials, has been criticised for leaving Ukraine in a weak and vulnerable position. The initial draft plan, which was reportedly developed by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, would have forced draconian measures on Ukraine that would have given Russia unprecedented control over the country’s military and political sovereignty, conditions that were seen as a surrender by Kyiv.The peace plan was significantly amended by Ukraine last month, removing some of Russia’s maximalist demands. Though for now, the conflict continues. On Friday night, Russia launched a drone and missile attack on Ukraine’s power and transport infrastructure.The Ukrainian military said Russia had launched 653 drones and 51 missiles on Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian forces downed 585 drones and 30 missiles, the military said.Zelensky has said his country’s energy infrastructure was the main target for hundreds of Russian drones and about 50 missiles, with Ukrainian officials accusing Moscow of seeking to “weaponise” the cold by denying civilians access to heat and power.Meanwhile, US and Ukrainian officials are set to conduct a third day of talks in Florida as Trump’s administration pushes Kyiv to accept an American-backed peace plan.The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has already rejected some parts of the plan, with Ukraine’s territorial integrity and measures to deter future Russian attacks proving major sticking points for Moscow.Starmer has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine must determine its own future, and said the coalition of the willing’s peacekeeping force would play a “vital role” in guaranteeing the country’s security.On Friday, both US and Ukrainian negotiators said “real progress” towards a deal depended on “Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace”.In its new national security strategy, published overnight on Saturday, the White House said it was committed to Ukraine’s survival as a “viable state”.But the strategy also prioritised improving relations with Moscow, stating that ending the war is a core US interest to “re-establish strategic stability with Russia”.