The United Kingdom has indicated that there are several proposals under consideration for a potential Ukraine ceasefire. This follows French President Emmanuel Macron’s suggestion of a limited one-month truce, as Kyiv continues to emphasize the need for security guarantees as part of any agreement.
European nations, led by the UK and France, are exploring options to halt Russia’s war on Ukraine in the wake of a recent rift between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their Oval Office meeting last week. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened a summit of European leaders in London on Sunday, where they agreed to draft a Ukraine peace plan to present to the US.
On his way to the summit, Macron floated the idea of a one-month ceasefire, though it has yet to receive public backing from other allies. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot explained that such a truce, covering air, sea, and energy infrastructure, would help gauge whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is sincere in his commitment to peace, potentially paving the way for genuine negotiations.
Starmer’s spokesperson confirmed on Monday that multiple options are being considered but declined to elaborate. Similarly, UK Defence Minister Luke Pollard stated that while no agreement has been reached on the specifics of a truce, the UK is collaborating with France and other European allies to achieve a lasting peace.
When asked about Macron’s proposal, Zelenskyy responded ambiguously, saying, “I’m aware of everything.” On Monday, Zelenskyy accused Russia of lacking seriousness about peace, asserting that robust security guarantees are essential to ending the more than three-year conflict in Ukraine. He called for “effective security guarantees that will make it impossible for Russian aggression to return,” predicting that Moscow would violate any deal. “Anyone who wants to negotiate does not deliberately hit people with ballistic missiles,” he added.
Russia dismissed Zelenskyy’s remarks, accusing him of not genuinely seeking peace. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed US criticisms following the White House incident, stating, “The Kyiv regime and Zelenskyy do not want peace. They want the war to continue. It is very important that someone forces Zelenskyy himself to change his position.”
European countries are grappling with what some leaders describe as the most significant policy shift since World War II from Washington, particularly after Trump and US Vice President JD Vance publicly reprimanded Zelenskyy during his recent visit. Zelenskyy had traveled to the US to sign a deal granting the United States access to Ukrainian minerals but left without finalizing it. US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz urged Zelenskyy to apologize and commit to peace talks, saying, “We’ll see what happens in the next 48 hours.”
In response, European leaders have agreed to increase defence spending to demonstrate to Trump that the continent can defend itself. The European Union is scheduled to hold an emergency summit on Thursday.
Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford noted that Ukrainians are preparing for uncertain times. While they were encouraged by the support shown by European leaders in London, they are also aware of the significant hurdles that remain before any concrete steps are taken to end the fighting in Ukraine. Stratford emphasized that the US’s stance on security guarantees and the minerals deal will be critical factors moving forward.
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