LONDON – In an effort to bolster Ukraine’s position amid challenging discussions over a U.S.-supported initiative to resolve the ongoing conflict with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with prominent European leaders in London on Monday. His visit comes as European allies intensify their support for Kyiv.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a crucial gathering at the iconic 10 Downing Street, where President Zelenskyy was joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The meeting underscored the collaborative efforts of these nations to address the crisis in Ukraine.

As President Zelenskyy outlined on Sunday, his engagements with European leaders in London and Brussels are centered on critical issues such as security, air defense, and securing long-term funding for Ukraine’s military campaign. These discussions aim to ensure that any future ceasefire is reinforced by robust security guarantees from both European nations and the United States, thereby preventing any resurgence of Russian aggression.

In parallel, U.S. and Ukrainian officials concluded a three-day negotiation session on Saturday, striving to reconcile differences regarding the U.S. government’s proposed peace strategy. The talks were part of a broader effort to solidify a unified approach to ending the hostilities.

President Zelenskyy reflected on the negotiations via a Telegram post, describing them as “substantive.” He noted that National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov were en route back to Europe to brief him on the developments, signaling the importance of these discussions in shaping Ukraine’s next steps.

A major sticking point in the proposal is the suggestion Ukraine must cede control of its eastern Donbas region to Russia, which illegally occupies most but not all of its territory. Ukraine and its European allies have balked at the idea of handing over land.

In an exchange with reporters on Sunday night, President Donald Trump appeared frustrated with Zelenskyy, claiming the Ukrainian leader “hasn’t yet read the proposal.”

“Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelenskyy’s fine with it,” Trump said before taking part in the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington. “His people love it, but he hasn’t read it.”

Trump has had a hot-and-cold relationship with Zelenskyy since riding into a second White House term insisting that the war was a waste of U.S. taxpayers’ money. Trump has also repeatedly urged the Ukrainians to cede land to Russia to bring an end to the nearly four-year conflict.

The European talks follow the publication of a new U.S. national security strategy that alarmed European leaders and was welcomed by Russia.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the document, which spells out the administration’s core foreign policy interests, was largely in line with Moscow’s vision.

The document released Friday by the White House said the U.S. wants to improve its relationship with Russia after years of Moscow being treated as a global pariah and that ending the war is a core U.S. interest to “reestablish strategic stability with Russia.”

The document also says NATO must not be “a perpetually expanding alliance,” echoing another complaint of Russia’s. It was scathing about the migration and free speech policies of longstanding U.S. allies in Europe, suggesting they face the “prospect of civilizational erasure” due to migration.

Starmer’s government has declined to comment on the American document, saying it is a matter for the U.S. government.

As diplomatic efforts continued, Russian forces continued to assault Ukraine over the weekend. At least four people were killed in drone and missile strikes on Sunday, while Moscow continues to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure as winter sets in.

Meanwhile, Russian air defenses destroyed 67 Ukrainian drones overnight, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Monday. The drones were shot down over 11 Russian regions, it said.

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Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.