European leaders show solidarity with Zelensky ahead of Trump-Putin talks

Sir Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders from across Europe have said the current front line in Ukraine “should be the starting point of negotiations” for a peace deal.

The leaders – including France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen – said: “We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force.”

The statement follows reports that US President Donald Trump had tossed aside maps of the front line in Ukraine and suggested Mr Zelensky surrender the entire eastern Donbas region to Vladimir Putin during tense White House exchanges last week.

The leaders of Ukraine, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, the European Commission and European Council, said: “We are all united in our desire for a just and lasting peace, deserved by the people of Ukraine.

“We strongly support President Trump’s position that the fighting should stop immediately, and that the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations.

“We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force.”

Mr Trump is expected to meet Russian leader Mr Putin in the coming weeks for talks on ending the war.

The European leaders said Mr Putin was not serious about the peace process.

“Russia’s stalling tactics have shown time and time again that Ukraine is the only party serious about peace,” they said.

“We can all see that Putin continues to choose violence and destruction.”

They said Ukraine should be put in the “strongest possible position” before, during and after any ceasefire.

The leaders confirmed they were developing measures to use the “full value” of Russia’s frozen sovereign assets to support Ukraine – currently only profits on the assets have been used.

The European Council will meet on Thursday ahead of a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” group convened by Sir Keir and Mr Macron on Friday.

On Monday, Mr Trump said he doubted whether Ukraine could win the war.

“They could still win it. I don’t think they will, but they could still win it,” he said.

He has resisted calls to supply Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv and reports of the exchanges during last week’s meeting with Mr Zelensky suggest relations with Ukraine took another downturn in the wake of his latest conversation with Mr Putin.

Defence Secretary John Healey said putting UK boots on the ground after a Ukraine peace deal would cost “well over £100 million”.

That cost would cover an entry package including the initial deployment of troops and aircraft and is a separate cost to the £4.5 billion in military aid allocated to Ukraine, it is understood.

During a speech in London, Mr Healey said the UK has been planning in detail along with coalition of the willing partners over the last six months.

He said: “Keir Starmer has said, if necessary, he’s willing to see UK boots on the ground in Ukraine, and I’ve accelerated already millions of pounds in that preparation for any possible deployment in the event of peace.

“And I would expect the cost of that to be well over £100 million.”