In London, Downing Street is leaders' meeting Britain, France, Germany and Ukraine. One of the main topics of the summit will be, in particular, the US"peace plan" for Ukraine, as well as support for Kyiv, writes The Guardian.

First statements by leaders at the meeting

In his opening speech, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said it was necessary to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that this was"an important moment to discuss all sensitive issues."

The Ukrainian leader also emphasized the importance of unity between Europe, Ukraine, and the United States.

"There are challenges that Ukraine will not be able to overcome on its own. The country needs the support of both the United States and European partners," Zelensky said.

In response, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe has"many trump cards up its sleeves." He spoke of the need to find a way to bring Europe and the United States closer together to agree on further steps to achieve peace.

The publication added that German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the coming days could be"decisive" for all of Europe regarding Ukraine. He mentioned the US peace initiative and also stressed that Europe strongly supports Ukraine and will continue to support the country, because"the fate of Ukraine is the fate of Europe."

In addition, Merz noted that he is skeptical about some points of the US"peace plan." He assured that this is exactly what he wants to talk about with other leaders.

What the tone of leaders' opening speeches says

British journalist Jakub Krupa believes that the somber tone of the leaders' opening speeches was very indicative. He is confident that this summit will provide an opportunity to discuss urgent and topical issues in resolving the war in Ukraine.

"All four made it clear that they were in a difficult situation, but desperately needed the support of the Americans, no matter how difficult it was. It is not surprising that Zelensky emphasized this point the most," the journalist wrote.

Krupa also drew attention to Macron's attack on the US administration, claiming to have"trump cards up his sleeve." He stressed that this was a clear reference to US President Donald Trump's explosive comments to Zelensky in February during their meeting in the Oval Office.

The journalist also noted that Merz was the only leader at the meeting who clearly expressed skepticism about some of the US proposals. He recalled that the German Chancellor has been one of the most ardent supporters of transatlantic relations for decades, but now he seems to be increasingly skeptical of the Trump administration.

The main problem in the negotiations on the"peace plan" for Ukraine

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that during negotiations on the peace initiative , proposed by the US, the parties have not reached an agreement on the future of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He shared that there is a vision of the US, Russia and Ukraine, and we do not have a common opinion on Donbas.

According to the president, Ukraine insists on a separate agreement on security guarantees from Western allies, primarily the United States. He emphasized that Ukrainians should know what will happen if Russia starts a war again.