Leaders of Britain, France, and Germany to meet with Zelenskyy in London. Peace negotiations on the agenda

The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany plan to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the weekend to discuss a path toward involving Russia in negotiations to end the war, UNN reports, citing Bloomberg.

Details

The meeting, which is the cornerstone of a new effort to end the more than four-year war, is currently scheduled for Sunday evening in the UK, according to sources familiar with the matter who are not authorized to discuss it publicly. Zelenskyy's plans could still change, and the meeting could be rescheduled, the sources added.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated on Friday that the leaders of the three countries would meet with Zelenskyy in the coming days.

"We have always advocated for direct negotiations between Ukraine and the Kremlin," he said, speaking at the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tivat, Montenegro. "It is the Europeans who can help."

The publication notes that the latest diplomatic push comes after Zelenskyy proposed new peace talks with Vladimir Putin, sending the Russian leader a rare and combative open letter on Thursday. The UK, France, and Germany see an opportunity to bring Putin to the negotiating table, while Ukraine has seen increasing success in conducting drone strikes deep inside Russia.

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Furthermore, U.S.-led peace talks with Russia have stalled as President Donald Trump focuses his attention on the war in Iran and negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz—a vital shipping route that Tehran closed, upending the global economy.

"In the EU, someone has to take the initiative; Mr. Trump doesn't have time for this," Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš told Bloomberg News on Friday in Tivat, Montenegro, where EU leaders gathered for the Western Balkans summit. "He is too busy with the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe must take on the role of ending the war."

Spokespeople for the French and German governments did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Spokespeople for the UK and Ukrainian governments declined to comment.

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Additionally

The push for Europe to lead new peace talks has sparked wariness in some countries.

At a recent meeting of EU ambassadors, the Baltic states stated that the bloc must act cautiously, according to people familiar with the matter. Others supported further discussion of the issue before launching any new efforts, added the sources, who requested anonymity regarding the closed-door meeting.

Putin, for his part, has already rejected the idea.

Another possibility dividing the EU is the appointment of a special EU envoy for negotiations with Putin. Countries such as Austria expressed interest at a recent meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers. However, others warned that this position could play into Russia's interests.

"This is a trap that Russia wants us to fall into, so that we discuss who talks to them," said Kaja Kallas, the bloc's top diplomat, at the meeting. "They are already choosing who is suitable and who is not — let's not fall into this trap."