Closing Summary
And that brings our coverage of Ukraine peace talks between Keir Starmer, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz to a close.
Here’s a breakdown of the most important developments from the day:
After the meeting with the Ukrainian president at Downing Street this afternoon, Keir Starmer said he and European leaders have agreed on the need for Europe to “stand with Ukraine” and “ramp up” economic pressure on Vladimir Putin. They noted progress had been made by the US-led peace talks and have instructed their national security advisers to continue discussions over the coming days. (18:39)
Volodymyr Zelenskyy described today’s talks as “productive”, and said they had made a “small progress towards peace”. He said that a 20-point proposal from Ukraine and Europe for a peace deal would be ready by tomorrow evening to share with the US. (18:13)
Before the private talks with Zelenskyy, Macron and Starmer, German chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was “sceptical” about some of the US proposals for a peace deal and added that “these could be decisive” days “for all of us” on Ukraine. (13:35)
The issue of territory is still the “most problematic” in talks on ending the war, an official familiar with the negotiations said. “Putin does not want to enter into an agreement without territory. So they are looking for any options to ensure that Ukraine cedes territory,” the official said. (10:28)
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has insisted that the bloc “has the means and the will to increase pressure on Russia to come to the negotiations table.” She particularly defended the EU’s proposal for a reparations loan – backed by frozen Russian assets – a plan that however continues to be opposed by Belgium. (17:08)
The leaders of seven EU countries have said a reparations loan for Ukraine based on Russian frozen assets is the most “politically realistic solution” to meet Kyiv’s urgent funding needs. The declaration of support was made in a letter to the European Council president, António Costa, and commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of an EU summit next week, when Ukraine’s financing needs will be top of the agenda. (8:51)
And that’s all from me, Matty Edwards, for today.
Jakub Krupa will be back tomorrow. You can email him any tips, comments or suggestions at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
He’s also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Number 10: Europe must 'stand with Ukraine' and 'ramp up' economic pressure on Russia
We’ve finally heard from Downing Street about the outcome of today’s talks.
After the meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz, the prime minister called to update other European allies.
Starmer and European leaders have agreed on the need for Europe to “stand with Ukraine” and “ramp up” economic pressure on Vladimir Putin.
British, French, German and Ukrainian national security advisers have been instructed to continue discussions about Ukraine over the coming days.
A Downing Street spokesperson said:
The leaders discussed the importance of the US-led peace talks for European security and supported the progress made. They instructed their national security advisers to continue discussions over the coming days.
The leaders underscored the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine which includes robust security guarantees.
The leaders agreed that while diplomatic efforts continue, Europe must stand with Ukraine, strengthening its ability to defend against relentless attacks that have left thousands without heat or light.
They also discussed positive progress made to use immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Following the meeting with the leaders of France, Germany and Ukraine, the prime minister convened a call with other European allies alongside President Zelensky to update them on the latest situation.
The leaders all agreed that now is a critical moment and that we must continue to ramp up support to Ukraine and economic pressure on Putin to bring an end to this barbaric war.”
Updated
Zelenskyy: Downing Street talks 'small progress towards peace'
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described today’s talks with Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz as “productive”, and said they had made a “small progress towards peace”.
He said that Ukraine-Europe plans for a peace deal should be ready by tomorrow evening to share with the US.
“I think the plan will be ready tomorrow, sometime in the evening. I think we will look at it again and send it to the U.S,” said Zelenskyy, who was flying from to Brussels for meetings with EU and Nato. The Ukrainian president said the new proposals on how to end the war included 20 points, but there was still no compromise over territory.
Updated
As we await a statement from Downing Street about the outcome of today’s talks, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now on his way to Brussels to meet nato chief Mark Rutte and the EU leaders, commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and council president António Costa.
Updated
'What is crucial is unity between Europe, Ukraine and US,' Zelenskyy says after London talks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said in his summary that “what is crucial today is unity between Europe and Ukraine, as well as unity between Europe, Ukraine, and the United States,” largely repeating his lines from the earlier press spray (14:35).
“Today, we held a detailed discussion on our joint diplomatic work with the American side, aligned a shared position on the importance of security guarantees and reconstruction, and agreed on the next steps,” he said.
“We also held a separate discussion on further defense support for Ukraine. I am grateful to the leaders for their willingness to stand with our people and help us on the path toward bringing peace closer,” he added.
That’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, but Matty Edwards is here to guide you through the evening, as we are still expecting more reactions to today’s talks.
'Europe has means and will to increase pressure on Russia,' EU's von der Leyen insists
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has insisted that the bloc “has the means and the will to increase pressure on Russia to come to the negotiations table,” as she commented on today’s coalition of the willing talks in a virtual format.
The meeting is believed to have taken place after the four-way meeting of Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Zelenskyy in London, with Starmer and Zelenskyy also joining.
Von der Leyen said that the European leaders “know what is at stake and know we do not have any more time to lose.”
She particularly defended the EU’s proposal for a reparations loan – backed by frozen Russian assets – which continues to be opposed by Belgium amid legal concerns.
“The proposal works on the cash balances produced by the immobilised Russian assets. These balances would be used for reparations. So the longer Putin wages his war, spills blood, takes lives, and destroys Ukrainian infrastructure – the higher the costs for Russia will be,” she said.
The commission president also stressed that “Europe’s defence is our responsibility,” as she summarised plans to ramp up defensive spending and manufacturing.
On diplomacy, she strongly attacked Moscow for “deceiving” and “stalling for time,” and “mocking diplomacy and increasing strikes while pretending to seek peace.”
“Today, that facade remains firmly in place. But we will not fall for it, we know who is the aggressor and who is the victim in this war,” she said.
Updated
By the way, today’s talks gave us this picture of Volodymyr Zelenskyy, taken as he was arriving at 10 Downing Street.
I can’t help but feel it captures his position very well. A picture is worth a thousand words and all that.
Europe’s leaders can no longer deny that the relationship with US has changed — analysis
The president of the European Council of national leaders, António Costa, has warned Donald Trump’s administration against interfering in Europe’s affairs, as analysts said the US national security strategy represented a seismic shift in transatlantic relations.
Released on Friday, the document claims Europe faces “civilisational erasure” because of migration and warns that a censorious EU “undermines political liberty and sovereignty”. It says the US will “cultivate resistance” in the bloc to “correct its current trajectory”.
Analysts said the document confirmed not just the Trump administration’s hostility to Europe but its ambition to weaken it, as the document codified a US strategy first outlined by JD Vance at this year’s Munich Security Conference in a speech that accused EU leaders of suppressing free speech, failing to halt illegal migration and running from voters’ true beliefs.
“It transposes that doctrine into an officially backed state line,” said Nicolai von Ondarza, head of European research at the German Institute for International and European Affairs. “It really represents a fundamental shift in transatlantic relations.”
Von Ondarza said that in particular, “open US backing for regime change” in Europe meant that it was “really no longer possible for EU and national European leaders to deny that US strategy towards its European allies has radically changed”.
Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, Eurasia programme at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said political meddling in Europe to back far-right nationalists was now “a core part of America’s national strategy”.
Bergmann added: “This isn’t just a speech from a novice vice-president weeks into a new term. It is US policy, and they will try to implement it.” Moreover, he said, it could work: “In a fragmented political landscape, a 1-2% shift can change elections.”
EU leaders “will have to confront the fact that the Trump administration is coming for them politically”, Bergmann said. “Do they just accept that Trump is funding their political downfall? Or does this begin to cause an incredible amount of friction?”
Zelenskyy leaves Downing Street after latest Ukraine talks
And Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has now also left Downing Street, the last of the three leaders visiting Starmer today.
As usual, he gets a big hug from Starmer before departing.
Crete airport sees disruptions amid growing farmer protests over subsidy payments
in Athens
Meanwhile, mounting anger in Greece over delayed payments of EU farming subsidies intensified today when protesting farmers vandalised a police vehicle as they tried to blockade Crete’s international airport.
In a day seen as a turning point for demonstrations now in their second week, farmers backed by livestock breeders attempted to storm the airport as nationwide protests spread. Media reports suggested that air traffic was disrupted after some protestors made it as far as the runway.
Fury over delayed payments and soaring production costs have already seen farmers blockade highways and border crossings nationwide.
On Monday protest action was stepped up as ever more tractors were driven to roadblocks at key points along motorways north and south of the country.
Farmers have vowed to blockade ports next with a Panhellenic Blockades Committee expected to announce further moves.
Calling on the protesters to back down, the embattled prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasised on Monday that a solution “lay in dialogue” and that the “blind protests” risked turning public opinion against farmers even if some of their complaints were justified. The door to the agriculture ministry and his own office was “always open,” he said.
“It would be good for this dialogue to happen when the roads are open, not closed … we are always open to dialogue in good faith,” he said when asked about the escalating protests at a health conference.
“I understand that there have been some delays in payments but by the end of December significant payments [will be made].”
Farmers say they have fallen victim to more than 600 million euro in EU subsidies and other payments being frozen in the wake of fraudulent agricultural aid claims being exposed earlier this year.
Five senior government officials, including Makis Voridis, the former agriculture minister, resigned after the revelations came to light and as an inquiry into the corruption scandal got under way, heaping further embarrassment on the government.
Updated
An Élysée Palace source told reporters that today’s London meeting “allowed for the continuation of joint work” on the US peace plan, and on what Europe can bring to the table.
The work is being finalised, with more to be done on robust security guarantees and proposals for Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction, it added.
Macron, Merz leave Downing Street after talks with Zelenskyy
France’s Macron and Germany’s Merz have now left Downing Street, with the four leaders showing up together outside the No10 door for that collective photo I spoke about earlier (14:05).
They both have government business to attend back home, with Macron particularly needing to move quickly as he is set to welcome Croatia’s prime minister Andrej Plenković in Paris at 5pm local.
Merz is expected on ARD Arena TV show to sum up his year a bit later in the evening.
Zelenskyy and Starmer are back inside for bilateral talks now.
Updated
Writing after their talks in London, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just posted a picture of the four leaders at 10 Downing Street with a caption:
“Guaranteeing real security is always a shared challenge and a shared effort. Thank you for your support!”
Updated
Starmer meets Zelenskyy: is a new peace plan possible? – podcast
As Keir Starmer hosts Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London, the Guardian’s Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss what the ‘coalition of the willing’ can achieve.
Sombre tone of leaders's comments reveals the scale of challenge they face — snap analysis
The sombre tone of the opening remarks was highly telling: it’s clear that this was not merely another photo opportunity designed to merely convey solidarity with Zelenskyy, but they face urgent – increasingly so – issues that need to be resolved soon.
All four of them have made it very clear that they find themselves in a tricky position, but desperately need to keep the Americans on side – as difficult as it is. Not surprisingly, it was Zelenskyy who stressed this point the most.
But two other bits are also worth noting.
Macron’s swipe at the US administration that Europe has “a lot of cards in our hands” – a clear reference to Trump’s explosive comments to Zelenskyy in February – is also notable, and appears to show his frustration and desire – or demand – to be seen by the US and Russia as equal partners. It will be interesting if they can come up with something that would make Washington and Moscow stand up and take notice.
Also, Germany’s Merz was the only leader to explicitly flag his “scepticism” of some of the US proposals.
It may not sound entirely surprising given the current context and the evolution of his views on this in the past few months, but remember that this is a politician who for decades had been one of the most ardent advocates of the transatlantic relationship. He is now increasingly having his doubts about this Trump administration, it seems.
Updated
Germany 'sceptical' about some US proposals, Merz notes, but Europe 'has cards in our hands,' Macron says
Let me bring you the opening comments from the four leaders as they begin their talks at 10 Downing Street.
Opening, UK’s Starmer stresses the need for a just and lasting peace settlement for Ukraine.
Responding, Zelenskyy thanked Starmer for organising the meeting. He says it’s an important moment to discuss all “sensitive” issues.
He talks about the importance of unity between Europe, Ukraine, and the US. Zelenskyy says there are things “we can’t manage without Americans, … we can’t manage without Europe.”
Macron says “we all support Ukraine and peace,” as he says “we have a lot of cards in our hands”, as he talks about options for Europe and Russia’s increasingly suffering economy.
He talks the need to find a way to bring Europe and the US closer to agree the path forward.
Germany’s Merz says “these could be decisive” days “for all of us” on Ukraine.
He mentions the US-led peace talks, and says “we are and remain strongly behind Ukraine,” as he says “the destiny of this country is the destiny of Europe.”
He says he is “sceptical” about “some of the details coming in the documents from the US side,” and says that’s what he wants to talk with other leaders about.
And they will now continue the talks behind the closed doors.
Updated
Aaaaand here we go: Zelenskyy arrives, gets a big hug from Starmer, and they pose for photos with pretty sombre look on their faces.
The Ukrainian president then talks to Starmer about Larry for a moment pointing at the cat, and they walk in.
Updated
Let Larry in, it’s cold!
Updated
There is a part of me wondering if we could see the three leaders come out to welcome Zelenskyy together outside the famous No10 doors in a show of unity and solidarity with Ukraine.
Or not. It’s, admittedly, a pure speculation.
Still better than the current chat outside No10 on whether Zelenskyy has stopped somewhere for Christmas shopping, though.
So we are now waiting for Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, who is expected shortly.
Larry the Cat also wants to be involved in today’s talks, it seems, but much to his annoyance he appears to left out the front doors at the moment.
Macron arrives next, with a big wave and thumbs up to the reporters gathered outside. But, apart from a polite “thank you,” he also doesn’t engage with the many questions shouted at him.
Also, a note to fellow journalists camped outside No10: no, I really don’t think his officials carry a nuclear bomb in a Gucci bag. Also, Gucci is Italian!
Updated
But, to be fair to the German punctuality joke guy, Merz actually did arrive on time.
And just like that Merz arrives at 10 Downing Street, with questions shouted at him and Starmer on whether the US plan is too soft on Russia, if the US is sidelining Europe, and if UK troops will be deployed to Ukraine.
They don’t engage, but smile, wave, and go inside.
For a fellow journalist wondering on stream if Merz “is the same guy who was here last week”: no, that was the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Here they are for reference:
If you’re listening to our live stream from Downing Street now, you can learn a thing or two about how this sort of occasions play out for journalists that cover them.
We have just been given a five minute warning for the arrival of German chancellor Friedrich Merz, which someone adding a joke playing on the German stereotype of punctuality, saying: “oh, Germany? They will be on time then.”
(Oh, bless him. Don’t tell him about the state of things at Deutsche Bahn.)
Updated
US may end support for Ukraine war effort, says Donald Trump Jr
Sitting down for their talks this afternoon, European leaders will be painfully aware of all sorts of comments coming from the US side over the weekend, including from the president Donald Trump’s oldest son.
Donald Trump Jr warned that his father may walk away from the Ukrainian war in a lengthy tirade against the purpose of continued fighting in Ukraine, as he also claimed Ukraine’s “corrupt” rich had fled their country leaving “what they believed to be the peasant class” to fight the war.
Trump Jr has no formal role inside his father’s administration, but is a key figure in the Maga movement. His intervention reflects the antipathy among some inside the Trump team towards the Ukrainian government, and comes as Trump’s negotiating team is putting pressure on Kyiv to give up territory.
Meanwhile, we are starting to look towards 10 Downing Street as the leaders should start arriving in the next hour. Last preparations are under way, and we have a live stream for you at the top of the page.
In the last few minutes, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just landed in the UK, Sky News has reported.
Freedom of speech allows for completely crazy statements, EU says in response to Musk
The EU has just been asked for its response to Musk’s anti-EU outbursts over the weekend, with suggestions the EU was “the enemy of Europe,” a “bureaucratic monster” and should be abolished.
“Let me say that it’s part of the freedom of speech to put out even completely crazy statements,” the European Commission’s chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said.
She added that the recent fine must not have won the EU any love from Musk, but insisted: “The fine reflects non-compliance with law. It is not about ideology.”
“Otherwise, nothing to comment,” she said.
EU’s digital spokesperson Thomas Regnier also said:
“On the crazy statements that you’re referring to, … it takes 1 or 2 sentences to polarise the world, … to create escalations or tensions. It takes hundreds and thousands of sentences – and we’re doing it here, from this podium – to diplomatically appease tensions, because we have many shared challenges with our American friends. You may call this weakness. I call this strength. This is European strength, and this is what we will keep doing also with our US counterparts.”
No agreement on territory in peace talks, Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that there were competing visions of how to resolve territorial disagreements as part of any future peace settlement.
Speaking to Bloomberg News (£), he said there were “visions of the US, Russia and Ukraine” on how to solve this, but “we don’t have a unified view on Donbas” yet.
He also said Ukraine is pushing for a separate agreement on security guarantees from western allies, above all the US.
“There is one question I – and all Ukrainians – want to get an answer to: if Russia again starts the war, what will our partners do,” Zelenskyy said.
Imagine these questions to play a central role in today’s discussions in London.
Zelenskyy to meet Nato, EU leaders in Brussels later today
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy will come to Brussels late on Monday for further meetings after his talks with British, French and German leaders in London, Nato has just confirmed.
He will be meeting with the alliance’s secretary general Mark Rutte and the EU leaders, commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and council president António Costa, it said.
Territory remains 'most problematic' issue for ending Ukraine war, official says
The issue of territory is still the “most problematic” in talks on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, an official familiar with the negotiations told AFP, ahead of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meeting with European allies in London following US-Ukraine talks.
Territory is “the most problematic issue. [Russian President Vladimir] Putin does not want to enter into an agreement without territory. So they are looking for any options to ensure that Ukraine cedes territory,” the official, speaking on condition of anonymity said.
“The Americans are pressuring, like ’faster, faster, faster,’” the source added, saying that Ukraine “cannot agree to everything without working out the details.”
The Netherlands to spend €700m on military support for Ukraine in early 2026
The Netherlands will earmark another 700m euros ($815m) to provide Ukraine with military support in the first quarter of 2026, the Dutch government said in comments reported by Reuters.
The government had earlier pledged 3.5 billion euros in support for next year, but a large part of that money has already been spent this year.
EU 'cannot accept threat to interfere in European politics,' EU's Costa says
European Council president António Costa on Monday rejected any attempt by the United States to meddle in Europe’s politics, after Washington published a new security strategy sharply criticising the continent’s policies, AFP reported.
“What we cannot accept is the threat to interfere in European politics,” Costa told a conference in Brussels.
“The United States cannot replace European citizens in choosing which parties are good and which are bad,” Costa said.
“The United States cannot replace Europe in what’s its vision is of freedom of expression,” he added.
Costa said that the fact Russia had welcomed Washington’s new outlook as “largely consistent” with its own vision was a worrying sign.
Kremlin welcomes US security strategy with its pointed criticism of Europe
Late last week, the new US national security strategy caused quite a stir, with its claims that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” within the next two decades as a result of migration and EU integration, and suggestions in a policy document that the US must “cultivate resistance” within the continent to “Europe’s current trajectory”.
In the latest development, which won’t exactly allay Europe’s concerns, the Kremlin has heaped praise on the US strategy, calling it an encouraging change of policy that largely aligns with Russian thinking.
“The adjustments that we see correspond in many ways to our vision,” the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said on Sunday. He welcomed signals that the Trump administration was “in favour of dialogue and building good relations”. He warned, however, that the supposed US “deep state” could try to sabotage Trump’s vision.
Seven EU countries back reparations loan for Ukraine as 'politically realistic solution'
in Brussels
The leaders of seven EU countries have said a reparations loan for Ukraine based on Russian frozen assets is the most “politically realistic solution” to meet Kyiv’s urgent funding needs.
The prime ministers of Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, said they strongly supported the European commission’s proposal for a reparations loan funded by the cash balances from the immobilised Russian assets in the EU.
The declaration of support was made in a letter to the European Council president, António Costa, and commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of an EU summit next week, when Ukraine’s financing needs will be top of the agenda.
The reparations loan is “the most financially feasible and politically realistic solution [and] it addresses the fundamental principle of Ukraine’s right to compensation for damages caused by the aggression” states the letter.
Last week German chancellor Friedrich Merz, who also backs the idea, flew to Brussels in an effort to persuade Belgium’s prime minister, Bart De Wever, to drop his opposition. No dramatic changes in position had been expected from the dinner meeting, also attended by von der Leyen. Most of the frozen assets in the EU are hosted in Belgium, which argues the plan is too risky and would complicate efforts to end the war.
The leaders who signed the letter disagree with the analysis that the loan would impede peace efforts: they argue that reaching a decision on the reparations loan at next week’s summit would put Ukraine “in a stronger position to defend itself and a better position to negotiate a just and lasting peace”.
Morning opening: London talks
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to meet UK’s Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz for talks in London about the war in Ukraine.
The meeting comes after three days of discussions between US and Ukrainian representatives in Florida without an apparent breakthrough amid an intensified push from Washington to end the war but with major territorial concessions from Kyiv.
Donald Trump once again sought to put pressure on Zelenskyy, suggesting publicly that the Ukrainian president “isn’t ready” to sign off on a US-authored peace plan. “I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelenskyy hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago. His people love it, but he hasn’t,” the US president claimed to reporters on Sunday night. (Somewhat sidestepping the public rejection of the plan by Russia.)
The leaders are expected around early lunchtime and will talk behind the closed doors to plan the next steps.
I will cover the meeting here, bringing you all the latest pictures and lines on what’s going on at Downing Street.
Zelenskyy is later expected to visit Brussels and Rome. On Sunday Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni spoke with Zelenskyy by phone and reaffirmed Italy’s solidarity after what she called a fresh wave of “indiscriminate” Russian strikes on civilian targets, her office said.
Separately, I will also keep an eye on the EU’s reactions to Elon Musk and senior US officials’s comments about the bloc over the weekend. The billionaire was particularly active on the back of a €120m fine against his social media platform X, repeatedly calling for the EU to be abolished.
And, finally, EU ministers are meeting in Brussels to sign off plans on migration and asylum laws.
I will bring you all the key updates throughout the day.
It’s Monday, 8 December 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
