European leaders back direct Ukraine-Russia talks

The leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom have backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s proposal for direct ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia, according to a joint statement issued after talks in London.

Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 10 Downing Street as the conflict entered its fifth year, News.Az reports, citing Euro News.

Leaders supported direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia with active participation from the United States and Europe in an effort to achieve a ceasefire and advance negotiations.

In their statement, the leaders said the current line of contact should serve as the starting point for negotiations and stressed that international borders must not be changed by force.

The statement came after Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an open letter. Putin later rejected the proposal, saying he saw no point in holding a meeting before a possible peace agreement had been reached.

The leaders also highlighted the need to increase the production of interceptors and jointly develop anti-ballistic missile and deep-strike capabilities. They condemned Russia’s large-scale missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and pointed to their impact on civilians.

The United Kingdom, France and Germany, known as the E3 group, have remained among Ukraine’s key supporters since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The United Kingdom and France continue to lead the “coalition of the willing” initiative aimed at providing security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a future peace process.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova