The leaders of the United Kingdom, Germany, and France said on Sunday, June 8 that they support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposal for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing hope that diplomatic efforts could help secure a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. The three countries also emphasized that Europe must play a central role in any future peace negotiations.
According to Reuters, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint statement praising Zelenskyy’s recent efforts to end the war and promote direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia.
The statement stressed that any future negotiations should include active participation from both the United States and Europe.
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany form the “E3” security cooperation framework, which has long been one of Ukraine’s most important sources of international support. On Sunday, Zelenskyy met with the three leaders at Downing Street in London. Just days earlier, he had sent an open letter to Putin proposing a direct meeting between the two leaders.
In the letter, Zelenskyy suggested a face-to-face discussion with Putin to explore ways of ending the war, which has now entered its fifth year. Putin later rejected the proposal.
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The joint statement welcomed Zelenskyy’s diplomatic initiative and his call for negotiations to end the conflict.
Increasing strain
Zelenskyy also argued in an open letter that Russian society is increasingly feeling the strain of the war. He said ongoing Ukrainian missile and drone strikes, combined with high inflation and fuel shortages, are weakening public support for the conflict and creating conditions that could make peace negotiations possible.
He further warned that Europe cannot simply wait for the United States to shift its focus back to Ukraine as Washington is currently devoting greater attention to developments involving Iran.
““We see that the United States is fully focused on the issue of Iran, and it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns to the center of its attention,” Zelenskyy wrote.
Putin responded by saying he did not view Zelenskyy’s proposal as sincere and saw no immediate need for a meeting between the two leaders.
According to Putin, Russia needs an agreement capable of delivering long-term stability rather than a temporary arrangement.
According to The Guardian, some observers believe Zelenskyy’s letter was intended primarily for Ukraine’s allies and may have been designed to provoke Putin.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Putin said: “The letter contains some rather boorish language.
“Is this intended to create conditions for a face-to-face meeting, or to prevent one? I believe it is the latter.”
‘Just and lasting peace’
Despite the rejection, the leaders of the three European countries and Zelenskyy outlined what they described as the foundation for achieving a “just and lasting peace.”
According to the joint statement, the first priority should be an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire.
They said the current front lines should serve as the starting point for future negotiations. Ukraine must also receive legally binding security guarantees, including the possible deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force.
The statement further emphasized that Russia’s frozen overseas assets should remain frozen until compensation is paid for war-related damages.
European leaders also stressed that any future peace agreement must fully protect Europe’s security interests.
Following the meeting, Zelenskyy posted on X that discussions with European leaders focused on how to revive diplomatic efforts and define Europe’s future role in negotiations.
““For Ukraine, it has always been a priority that Europe’s position and voice in the negotiations be strong,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Putin maintained his traditionally hardline stance during a meeting with international media on Thursday.
However, he also suggested that if Ukraine were willing to make compromises, a peace proposal put forward by U.S. President Donald Trump could potentially provide an opportunity to bring the conflict to an end, Reuters reported.
