The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, held a telephone conversation this Saturday to discuss the ongoing negotiations on the peace plan in Ukraine, considering the current situation as a “decisive moment”, just before the upcoming contacts between American, European and Ukrainian delegations that will take place in the German capital Berlin.
“Both (Starmer and Von der Leyen) agreed that this is a crucial moment for the future of Ukraine and that Europe will support it for as long as necessary to achieve a just and lasting peace,” the British government said in a statement.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has already confirmed his presence at the contact round in Berlin, where he is expected to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will also attend the event.
The negotiations will focus on the security guarantees of the Ukrainian territory, with Zelensky stressing that it is essential that Russia cannot invade Ukraine again. “Our negotiating position is strong because we maintain our positions at the front, with our defense industry and with our internal stability,” emphasized the President.
In the same conversation, they discussed the European Union’s recent progress in indefinitely decommissioning the 210 billion euros of frozen Russian assets that could be used for a “reparations loan” for Ukraine, which European leaders have yet to discuss at next week’s summit.
Both leaders also touched on the “ambitious” package of measures agreed at the EU-UK bilateral summit last May, which is crucial for shaping relations between the two blocs. Topics already discussed in May focused on defense and security, trade and fisheries.
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