Ukraine peace talks test Western resolve

Leaders weigh Ukraine peace terms while preparing for a Washington meeting with Trump and a wider commitment to Kyiv

Starmer applauds Zelensky push for just peace amid fears of Russian land grab

Leaders in the coalition of the willing were gathered on Sunday with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron at the helm. They reaffirmed support for Ukraine and noted Zelensky's call for a just and lasting peace as Kyiv prepares for talks with US President Donald Trump in Washington. The group signaled willingness to deploy a reassurance force once active hostilities end and to help secure Ukraine's skies and seas while rebuilding its armed forces through the Multinational Force Ukraine.

Across the Atlantic, the discussion turned to the tough politics surrounding any end to the war. Reports describe Moscow pressing for control of Donetsk and Luhansk as part of a withdrawal package, complicating the path to a broader settlement. Trump is expected to press Zelensky for concessions when they meet in Washington, while officials say US sanctions could come into play if diplomacy stalls. European leaders stress that any agreement must stop the killing and deliver real security guarantees for Kyiv.

The episode shows how Ukraine diplomacy now travels on a crowded stage where political signals matter as much as military aid. Zelensky frames the issue in terms of a just and lasting peace, anchoring allied expectations and pressuring Western partners to back concrete guarantees rather than mere pauses in fighting. At the same time, the alliance faces a delicate balance between providing security assurances and avoiding commitments that could become targets for domestic critics back home.

Looking ahead, the Washington meeting tests how far the United States is willing to go to reassure Kyiv without tipping into a broader confrontation with Moscow. The push for NATO like guarantees and an Article 5 style pledge raises questions about the longevity and cost of such commitments. For European leaders, the risk is that diplomatic messaging hardens into policy that is hard to unwind if battlefield dynamics shift. In short, the peace process rests on careful choreography between battlefield realities and political bargains.

Highlights

As diplomacy unfolds, allies must align words with dependable actions that endure beyond headlines