Zelensky Rushes to London as Trump Accuses Him Over Peace Plan and Kremlin Applauds US Pressure

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an unscheduled dash to London on Monday for high-stakes talks with key European leaders amid pressure from Washington over a contentious peace proposal that has reached a boiling point.

The meeting — held at 10 Downing Street with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — aimed to consolidate European support for Kyiv amid growing fears that a US-backed framework could force Ukraine into territorial concessions that Moscow has long demanded.

The Diplomatic Dash to Downing Street

Zelenskyy's unscheduled rush to the UK capital was a visible effort to reinforce Ukraine's position with key European partners just as the diplomatic pressure from Washington reached a flashpoint. The four-way summit was designed to ensure a united front regarding Ukraine's sovereignty, particularly concerning its borders and long-term security.

The urgency stems from the US administration's persistent push for a settlement that, in its initial drafts, reportedly demanded significant territorial concessions, including the surrender of the entire Donbas region (Luhansk and Donetsk), as well as severe limitations on Kyiv's military capabilities.

Ukraine, backed by its European allies, has consistently argued that a 'just peace' cannot involve the forfeiture of sovereign territory or a reduction in its self-defence capability. UK Prime Minister Starmer explicitly stated that he 'won't be putting pressure' on Zelenskyy to accept a peace settlement, stressing the need for a 'just and lasting' peace.

The London meeting was, therefore, a crucial opportunity for Zelenskyy to garner rock-solid support and secure firm security guarantees from Europe, potentially shielding Kyiv from having to accept terms dictated by Moscow and backed by Washington.

Trump's Intervention and Moscow's Approval

The diplomatic challenge facing Kyiv was severely compounded by a highly public intervention from Donald Trump just before the London talks.

The US President stated he was 'a little bit disappointed' that the Ukrainian leader had not yet read the latest American peace proposal, implying a lack of engagement from Kyiv. Trump even suggested he believed Russia was 'fine' with the terms, but he was unsure about Zelenskyy's acceptance.

This included Moscow welcoming the new US national security strategy, released by the White House on Friday, December 5, and stating that it 'corresponds in many ways to our vision' for improved relations with Russia. This alignment between Moscow and Washington's diplomatic stance serves to isolate Kyiv, lending credence to the theory that the US is now primarily seeking a rapid exit from the conflict, regardless of the consequences for Ukrainian sovereignty.

The Cost of the Contentious Peace Blueprint

The core of the dispute lies in the US-authored framework, which began as a 28-point proposal heavily criticised for favouring Russian demands. While revised through intensive talks, including contentious meetings between US envoys and Russian officials in Moscow, the plan still requires Ukraine to navigate treacherous compromises regarding territory and security.

The leaked details of the 28-point plan required Ukraine to recognise the entirety of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk as 'de facto Russian' territory and freeze frontlines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Furthermore, the plan proposed that Ukraine must amend its constitution to renounce NATO membership and cap its armed forces at 600,000 personnel.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister described discussions with Washington as 'constructive, although not easy,' stressing that Kyiv would only accept a 'dignified peace' that holds Russia fully accountable and prevents future attacks.

For Zelenskyy and the European leaders gathered in London, the critical issue is not simply ending the bloodshed, but ensuring that any ceasefire provides genuine, long-term security guarantees that would genuinely deter Vladimir Putin from a future attack, a promise that the current US proposal appears unable or unwilling to guarantee.