Allies Discuss Positive Progress To Use Frozen Russian Assets In Ukraine Talks
European allies have discussed “positive progress” towards using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, Downing Street said, after hosting crisis talks over the country’s future.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met at No 10 on Monday as Mr Zelensky warned that Kyiv “can’t manage” without European and American backing.
Mr Zelensky’s visit to London came as US President Donald Trump accused him of having failed to read the latest peace plan, while insisting Russian President Vladimir Putin was “fine with it.”
A No 10 readout of the private talks between the leaders said they “discussed the importance of the US-led peace talks for European security and supported the progress made”.
“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,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
“They also discussed positive progress made to use immobilised Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction.”
After the talks, Sir Keir convened a call with other European allies, during which leaders 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”, No 10 said.
British officials had earlier suggested they were hopeful of movement over the coming days on the prospect of unlocking the value of immobilised Russian sovereign assets.
Sir Keir has previously said the UK is “ready” to move with the EU on the proposals but Belgium has voiced concerns about using the assets to help Kyiv with reparations, citing financial and legal risks.
The Ukrainian leader said Monday’s talks had been “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”.
“We also held a separate discussion on further defence 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 said in a post on social media.
Before the meeting began, Mr Zelensky had said that the issues under discussion were “very important for unity between Europe and Ukraine, and also unity between Europe and Ukraine and the United States”.
“We can’t manage without Americans, we can’t manage without Europe and that is why we need to make some important decisions,” he said.
Mr Macron, meanwhile, said Ukraine’s allies have “a lot of cards”.
He pointed to the funding of equipment and arms for Ukraine, the Ukrainian resistance and the economic impact of sanctions imposed by the US and Europe on Russia as positive signs.
Sir Keir said any ceasefire in Ukraine must be “just” and “lasting”, telling the other leaders: “We are at a critical stage in the push for peace.
“The principles remain the same: we stand with Ukraine, and if there is to be a ceasefire, it needs to be a just and lasting ceasefire.”
The Prime Minister and Mr Macron have been leading efforts with the “coalition of the willing” countries prepared to support Ukraine in the event of a peace deal, with the UK ready to commit troops to the effort.
Speaking ahead of the talks, Sir Keir had told the Press Association there had to be “hard-edged security guarantees” behind any ceasefire.
Despite Mr Trump’s White House criticising European leaders for having “unrealistic expectations” about the war, the Prime Minister paid tribute to the US president.
“You can never get from conflict to peace by an easy, straight route,” he said.
“It’s always a complicated business, but I do think that we’re making progress, and I think what President Trump has been able to achieve in the last few weeks, getting it this far, has been the furthest we’ve got in the four years.
“And I therefore pay tribute to him for that, and hopefully we can make some further progress this afternoon.”
Mr Zelensky’s visit to London comes after his officials concluded three days of talks with their US counterparts on those proposals as the White House presses Kyiv to accept a deal.
Over the weekend, the Ukrainian leader said he had discussed “next steps” with Mr Trump’s advisers and was “determined to keep working in good faith”.
But the negotiators also acknowledged that any “real progress” will depend “on Russia’s readiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace”.
Ukraine and its European allies are likely to insist that any ceasefire comes with security guarantees from both the US and the coalition of the willing convened by the UK and France, while also resisting the transfer of territory to Russia.
Sir Keir has repeatedly said that Ukraine must be allowed to determine its own future, while one of his senior ministers said on Sunday that the country must not be left “toothless” in the face of Russian aggression.
But Russia has repeatedly rejected the prospect of allied troops being stationed in Ukraine and continues to demand large swathes of Ukrainian territory in exchange for peace.
On Sunday, Mr Trump told reporters that Mr Zelensky has yet to read the US-authored peace proposal.
“I’m a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn’t yet read the proposal, that was as of a few hours ago. His people love it, but he hasn’t,” he said.
“Russia is, I believe, fine with it, but I’m not sure that Zelensky’s fine with it. His people love it, but he hasn’t read it.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is in Washington for talks with her US counterpart Marco Rubio.
She is expected to focus on efforts to secure an end to the war in Ukraine, as well as UK-US co-operation on global security and the ceasefire in Gaza.
Published: by Radio NewsHub