European leaders have said intensive work will continue in the coming days on a US-led plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war, after a joint phone call with President Donald Trump.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said they agreed that this was a critical moment - for Ukraine, its people and for shared security across the Euro-Atlantic region.
Trump later said we discussed Ukraine in pretty strong words, admitting that there were some little disputes about people.
The joint call comes the day after Trump called European leaders weak, suggesting the US could scale back support for Ukraine.
In a wide-ranging Politico interview published on Tuesday, Trump also claimed Ukraine was using war to avoid holding elections, prompting President Volodymyr Zelensky to reply he was ready for them.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and Moscow currently controls about 20% of Ukrainian territory.
The three European leaders issued identical statements shortly after their call with Trump on Wednesday. They read: The leaders discussed the latest on the ongoing US-led peace talks, welcoming their efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, and to see an end to the killing.
Intensive work on the peace plan is continuing and will continue in the coming days.
The call lasted for about 45 minutes and was initiated by the Americans after discussions characterized as inching towards a deal, emphasizing the complexity involved.
A key sticking point remains Ukrainian territory and whether it is viable to expect Kyiv to effectively give up land regarded as its own.
The longstanding formulation of the British government is that decisions about Ukraine have to be made by Ukraine.
National Security Advisers from Europe, including the UK's Jonathan Powell, are meeting regularly with Ukrainian officials, sharing conversation summaries with Washington.
Trump, during a White House briefing, admitted that strong words were used in the phone call and expressed uncertainty about agreeing to further meetings involving Washington and Kyiv, underscoring the urgency to not waste time.
Zelensky is under increasing pressure from Trump to agree to a peace deal, with the US president urging Kyiv to play ball by ceding territory to Moscow, a stance that Zelensky has categorically rejected, instead seeking security guarantees for Ukraine.
As negotiations continue, Zelensky is pressing his European allies to prevent the US from supporting an agreement that could put Ukraine at risk from future Russian aggression.
Amidst these discussions, the Kremlin noted Trump's statements align with their views, further complicating the delicate landscape of international diplomacy surrounding the conflict.
