On Sunday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sit down with Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz in Downing Street to discuss the war in Ukraine. The meeting comes after a week of intensified hostilities, including a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on St Petersburg and Vladimir Putin’s rejection of face-to-face talks. The three European leaders represent Ukraine’s staunchest allies, and the talks aim to coordinate further military and diplomatic support.
The so-called E3 group – the UK, France and Germany – has become the core of a wider “coalition of the willing” working to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any future peace process. The UK and France have taken the lead in this initiative, which is designed to deter further Russian aggression beyond a ceasefire. The UK’s role is particularly prominent: earlier this year, Starmer signed a security pact with Poland, describing it as “a generational uplift” in defence relations driven by the shared challenge of Russian aggression.
“Why the UK is hosting Ukraine talks with Zelenskyy and EU leaders”
Why does this matter for UK readers? First, the UK is positioning itself as a key architect of European security at a time when the United States under Donald Trump has focused more on talks with Iran. Second, the talks have direct implications for British defence spending and commitments. Starmer has already warned that “Russian aggression” threatens not just Ukraine but “our own countries”, and the UK has been involved in training Ukrainian troops and supplying long-range weapons. Third, any escalation or de-escalation in the conflict affects energy prices, refugee flows and economic stability in the UK.
Q: What is the E3 group? The E3 refers to the UK, France and Germany – the three European powers that have taken a leading role in diplomatic and military support for Ukraine. They often coordinate with the US and other allies, but the E3 format allows for speedier decision-making among Europe’s biggest economies and military contributors.
Q: Why are the UK and France leading the “coalition of the willing”? Both countries are nuclear powers with permanent UN Security Council seats, and they have been among the most vocal supporters of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion. The “coalition of the willing” is a flexible group of nations that have pledged to provide long-term security guarantees – such as troop deployments or air defence – to protect Ukraine after any ceasefire, without waiting for Nato consensus.
Q: What did Putin say about peace talks? On Friday, Vladimir Putin rejected a proposal from Zelenskyy for face-to-face negotiations, claiming he saw “no point” in a meeting. This has reinforced Western determination to continue arming Ukraine and to explore alternative diplomatic pressure points, including further sanctions and the use of frozen Russian assets.
What happens next? The Downing Street talks on Sunday are expected to produce a joint statement reiterating support for Ukraine and possibly announcing new military aid packages. The E3 leaders will also discuss how to respond to Russia’s continued bombardment and Ukraine’s increasing ability to strike deep inside Russia with drones. Meanwhile, Trump has said a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin would be “great”, but his administration is currently focused on Iran. The UK will continue to act as a European hub for co-ordinating Western strategy, with further summits likely in the coming months.