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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Germany agreed on five key conditions as necessary to achieve a “just and lasting” peace in Ukraine, while reaffirming their continued support for Kyiv in its war against Russia.

The agreement was announced after talks at 10 Downing Street in London on June 7, 2026, where Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

In a joint statement, the leaders emphasized that Europe would continue to stand firmly with Ukraine and play an important role in efforts to end the conflict, which began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The four leaders also supported Zelenskyy’s proposal for direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, with active participation from both the United States and European partners.

United for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/FjWwh6jqvE

— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) June 7, 2026

Five Conditions for Peace

The leaders outlined five conditions that they believe should form the basis of any future peace agreement.

• An immediate and complete ceasefire, with calls for Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt all military operations and stop the fighting.
• The current frontline should serve as the starting point for negotiations, with a clear emphasis that international borders must not be changed by force and that Ukraine’s right to choose its own security arrangements and alliances must be fully respected.
• Ukraine must receive robust and legally binding security guarantees once a ceasefire takes effect, building on previous commitments made in Berlin and Paris, potentially including the deployment of a multinational security force in Ukraine.
• Russian assets frozen by Western countries should remain immobilized until Russia ends its war and agrees to compensate Ukraine for the damage caused during the conflict.
• European security interests must be protected in any final agreement, with any decisions affecting the European Union or NATO requiring approval from member states and alliance partners.
  
  

Support for Direct Dialogue

The London meeting came days after Zelenskyy sent an open letter to Putin calling for direct negotiations aimed at ending the war. The Ukrainian president proposed face-to-face talks as part of efforts to secure a ceasefire and launch a broader peace process. Moscow has repeatedly rejected such proposals.

Putin recently said there was “no point” in meeting Zelenskyy until the outlines of a potential peace agreement had already been established. Despite Russia’s position, the leaders of Britain, France, and Germany endorsed Zelenskyy’s initiative and said direct dialogue remains the best path toward ending the conflict.

“The current line of contact should be the starting point for negotiations,” the leaders said, adding that any settlement must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The leaders also underlined the importance of maintaining close cooperation with Washington. Their statement highlighted the need for continued American involvement at a time when US President Donald Trump’s attention has increasingly shifted toward tensions involving Iran.

Military Support and Defense Cooperation

Beyond diplomacy, the leaders discussed ways to strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities. They agreed that additional pressure should be placed on Russia’s war economy while military assistance to Ukraine should continue.

The statement called for increased production of air-defense interceptors and deeper cooperation on anti-ballistic missile systems and long-range strike capabilities.

The leaders also discussed strengthening long-term defense cooperation between Ukraine and Europe. They said European countries could benefit from lessons learned by Ukrainian forces during more than four years of high-intensity warfare.

The upcoming G7 summit, the next meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, and the NATO summit in Ankara were identified as opportunities to coordinate additional support for Kyiv.

The United Kingdom and France continue to lead the Coalition of the Willing initiative, which aims to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a future peace settlement.

Russian Attacks Continue

The diplomatic efforts come as fighting continues across Ukraine and Russia. Before arriving in London, Zelenskyy accused Russia of carrying out a “vile” attack after Ukrainian officials reported that a drone struck a spent nuclear fuel storage facility near the Chornobyl nuclear power plant.

Ukraine’s state nuclear operator, Enerhoatom, said the strike partially damaged the storage facility. Officials reported no injuries, and a fire caused by the attack was quickly extinguished. Radiation levels remained within normal limits.

Enerhoatom accused Russia of deliberately threatening nuclear safety, while Zelenskyy described the targeted site as critical infrastructure. “Russia deliberately struck this particular nuclear infrastructure facility,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, calling the attack “vile.”

Chornobyl remains one of the world’s most infamous nuclear sites. The 1986 disaster at the plant released radioactive material across large parts of Europe and remains the worst civilian nuclear accident in history.

The latest incident follows another attack last year that damaged the protective shelter covering the plant’s destroyed reactor. Elsewhere in Ukraine, authorities reported that at least three people were killed in a Russian strike on a village near Zaporizhzhia. The southern region has experienced intensified attacks in recent weeks, with civilian casualties reported almost daily.

The leaders meeting in London condemned Russia’s large-scale missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities, including the repeated use of Oreshnik missiles. They also criticized what they described as dangerous Russian drone incursions into NATO territory.

At the same time, Ukraine has expanded its ability to strike targets deep inside Russia. Ukrainian drones recently targeted St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, during a major economic forum attended by senior Russian officials and international guests.

Russian authorities described the attacks as unprecedented, highlighting Ukraine’s growing long-range drone capabilities.

As the war enters its fifth year, European leaders signaled that they remain committed to supporting Ukraine militarily, economically, and diplomatically while continuing to push for a ceasefire and a negotiated settlement. However, with fighting still intensifying on both sides, prospects for immediate peace remain uncertain.

I thank @Keir_Starmer, @EmmanuelMacron, and @bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz for their support. We met in the important E3–Ukraine format. A substantive discussion focused on our defense. I informed them about the situation on the battlefield and Russia’s losses. For five… pic.twitter.com/1Yc0X7oopq

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 7, 2026