THE NEW YORK TIMES: The destiny of Ukraine “is the destiny of Europe,” the German chancellor said on Monday, as he and other leaders met with President Volodymyr Zelensky in London.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine met on Monday with European leaders in London, saying he was there to discuss “sensitive issues” regarding peace talks that have languished because of clashing views about how to end his country’s nearly four-year-old war with Russia.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain hosted Mr. Zelensky, along with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, for the closed-door discussion.
In brief remarks inside 10 Downing Street before the meeting began, Mr. Zelensky said it was critical for Europeans and Americans to unite with Ukraine in defending the country against Russian aggression and in negotiating an end to the conflict.
“There are some things we can’t manage without Americans; things which we can’t manage without Europe,” he said. “That’s why we need to make some important decisions.”
The Europeans repeated their longstanding pledges of robust support for Ukraine, both on and off the battlefield. Mr. Macron stated that Europe and Ukraine have “a lot of cards in our hands,” an apparent reference to President Trump’s statements earlier this year that Mr. Zelensky did not “have the cards” to play in negotiations with Russia on ending the war.
Mr. Macron cited European plans to help finance weapons for Ukraine’s continued resistance and the fact that U.S. and European sanctions have begun to have an impact on Russia’s economy.
Mr. Merz said the current moment “could be a decisive time for all of us” as Ukraine continued to fight amid some intense bombardment from Russia. He suggested that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was not only devastating for that country, but posed a long-term threat to the security and stability of all of the nations in Europe.
“We all know that the destiny of this country is the destiny of Europe,” he said. “So that’s the reason why we are here trying to figure out what we can do.” » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, December 8, 2025