Russia is complicating efforts to get a ceasefire in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky has said, as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to meet with European leaders to discuss the war.
The coalition of the willing, the alliance which is planning to police a future peace deal in Ukraine, will meet on Sunday afternoon amid reports Donald Trump favours a Russian land grab to end the war.
Following the Alaska summit between Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday, the American leader suggested he wants to move straight to a full peace deal, rather than negotiating a ceasefire first.
The shift in Mr Trump’s position appears to echo the Russians’ refusal to agree to ceasefire before engaging in peace talks.
Several news outlets have cited sources which claimed that during the negotiations Mr Putin demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk – two occupied Ukrainian regions – as a condition for ending the war.
In exchange, he would give up other Ukrainian territories held by Russian troops.
Other outlets reported that Mr Trump is inclined to support the plan, and will speak to Mr Zelensky about it when they meet in the Oval Office.
Writing on social media on Sunday morning, the Ukrainian leader railed against Russia’s refusal to lay down arms temporarily before agreeing to end the war.
Mr Zelensky said: “We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing.
“This complicates the situation.”
He added: “If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater – peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades.
“But together we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war.”
The Prime Minister, alongside French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz, will host the coalition of the willing on Sunday afternoon.
The video conference will see allies who plan to keep the peace in Ukraine gather ahead of Mr Zelensky’s visit to Washington on Monday.
The Ukrainian leader is expected to attend the Sunday afternoon video call, which is scheduled to take place at 2pm UK time.
Friday’s summit between Mr Trump and Mr Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, ended without any commitment towards a ceasefire.
The Russian president described it as “timely” and “useful” after he left.
Mr Trump afterwards suggested it was time for Mr Zelensky to make a deal to end the war.
Sir Keir commended Mr Trump’s “pursuit of an end to the killing”, but insisted Ukraine’s leader must not be excluded from future talks to broker a peace in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister and European leaders appeared increasingly confident that Mr Trump will offer a “security guarantee” of air support to back up allied troops on the ground in Ukraine, should they be deployed to keep the peace.
Experts have warned the face-to-face summit has risked legitimising the Russian leader, who has been made a pariah by the international community for invading Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky has warned Russia may ramp up its strikes against his country in the coming days “in order to create more favourable political circumstances for talks with global actors”.
