Europeans and Ukraine call on Putin to negotiate

The USA and Europe should be "actively" involved in the talks, according to a joint statement published by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Volodymyr Zelensky after their meeting in London.

Five prerequisites for peace talks

In it, they list five prerequisites for a "just and lasting peace":

1. an end to hostilities: Putin should agree to an "immediate and complete ceasefire".

2. the current front line should be the starting point for negotiations. At the same time, Ukraine and the Europeans insist that international borders should not be changed by force. Almost a fifth of Ukraine's territory is currently under Russian control. Ukraine's right to choose its own security arrangements and alliances must also be "fully" respected.

3. Ukraine must receive "robust and legally binding" security guarantees as soon as a ceasefire comes into force. This includes the

deployment of a multinational force.

1. the Russian assets would remain frozen until Russia ends its war of aggression and compensates Ukraine for the damage caused by the war. Some 210 billion euros from the Russian central bank are frozen in the European Union.

2 European security interests must be safeguarded in any agreement. The member states would have to agree to the results of negotiations concerning the EU and NATO.

Further military support assured

The Europeans also assured Zelensky of further military support. This is to be discussed at the G7 and NATO summits in June and July as well as at the next meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing", in which Ukraine's allies have joined forces.

The heads of state and government emphasized the urgent need to strengthen missile defence and the availability of long-range weapons. They also discussed "how the Alliance can learn from Ukraine's combat experience and how long-term industrial cooperation with Ukraine can be developed to strengthen Europe's own defense".