Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will visit London on Monday for crucial peace talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. A senior UK minister described the moment as "pivotal" for Ukraine's future as the war enters a critical diplomatic phase.
The Downing Street meeting comes amid ongoing negotiations between US and Ukrainian officials on a Washington-backed peace plan. The White House has been pushing Kyiv to accept a deal, with negotiators in Florida acknowledging that any progress depends on Russia's willingness to commit to long-term peace.
Cabinet minister Pat McFadden told Sky News' Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that the talks will focus on Ukraine's right to self-determination. «The principle behind the talks will be for Ukraine to be able to decide its own future,» he said.
McFadden emphasized the need for concrete security guarantees beyond just ending hostilities. «This is a really pivotal moment now. Everybody wants the war to come to an end, but they want it to come to an end in a way that gives Ukraine that freedom of choice in the future,» he explained. «So, that means not just an end to the war but also security guarantees for Ukraine in the future, and not a completely toothless organisation which is unable to decide its future.»
Coalition for Ukraine's Security
The UK has consistently pushed for any peace settlement to include robust security guarantees for Ukraine from both the US and a British-French-led "coalition of the willing." Starmer previously urged leaders of potential coalition countries to solidify commitments for a peacekeeping force that could deploy following a ceasefire.
McFadden stressed that Ukraine can count on Britain's "strong solidarity" and that any settlement must not "reward Russian aggression."
Russia's Stance and Winter Campaign
Russia has repeatedly rejected the presence of allied troops in Ukraine and continues to demand large portions of Ukrainian territory as a condition for peace. These positions represent major obstacles to any negotiated settlement.
Meanwhile, the UK's Ministry of Defence assessed that Russia is pursuing a deliberate strategy to inflict civilian suffering. «Russia is continuing its concerted deep strike campaign against Ukrainian energy critical national infrastructure (CNI) almost certainly seeking to cause a humanitarian crisis amongst Ukraine's civilian population over winter,» the MoD stated in its latest online update.
In November alone, Russia launched approximately 5,400 one-way attack drones and more than 90 missiles against Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The MoD noted that Russia's «daily reliance on large numbers of cheap, mass-produced UAS [uncrewed aerial systems], both armed and decoy, is indicative of Russia's attritional approach to the conflict and affords Ukraine minimal respite.»
The massive air strikes occurred shortly after Zelensky held what he described as "constructive" talks with representatives of US President-elect Donald Trump about ending the war.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
