Zelenskyy coordinates with European leaders after US peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has convened with key European allies to coordinate strategy following recent peace talks with the United States, aiming to build a unified international front to end the war with Russia. The Ukrainian leader held a joint call with French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, briefing them on discussions held between Ukrainian officials and US envoys in Florida.

Aligning European and American Diplomacy

Zelenskyy described the review of the Florida talks as "important," noting that teams would now coordinate schedules for in-person follow-up meetings. He emphasized that the objective is a peace that is "truly durable" and stated that "much now depends on the involvement of every leader." The coordination effort includes a broad European format encompassing Germany, Poland, Italy, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, the European Commission, the European Council, and NATO's Secretary General, creating a platform to harmonize positions before further engagements.

Substantive Talks in Paris

Prior to the joint call, President Zelenskyy spent several hours in direct discussions with President Macron in Paris. Their talks concentrated on concrete efforts to end the conflict and establish long-term security guarantees for both Ukraine and Europe at large. This bilateral meeting underscored France's continued active role in diplomatic efforts, even as the US takes a more direct lead in the current negotiation track with Ukrainian and Russian representatives.

Report of "Significant Progress" from US Talks

Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian delegation to the Florida talks, provided a separate update, calling the two days of discussions "very productive" and reporting "significant progress." He acknowledged that several issues still require refinement and confirmed that close, constant contact would be maintained as the process continues. Umerov stated the delegation would soon present a full report to President Zelenskyy at an upcoming meeting in Europe, reinforcing the message that "we continue to work for peace for Ukraine."