France, UK, Germany back face-to-face Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks

After meeting Zelensky Sunday at 10 Downing Street, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz supported his proposal for a face-to-face meeting with Putin.

In a joint statement, the leaders said they “commended” Zelensky's proposal, which he set out in an open letter to Putin on Thursday.

The three leaders, who head an informal security alliance called the E3 group of European Nations, have been prominent backers of Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022.

In the statement, the leaders said they support “a direct dialogue between Ukraine and Russia – with active US and European participation – to bring about a ceasefire and support further negotiations.

“The current line of contact should be the starting point for negotiations," they said. "International borders must not be changed by force."

Ukraine has been asking its Western allies for more ammunition deliveries for its air defences to counter daily Russian strikes and Zelensky is seeking ways for the allies to further pressure Russia to end the fighting.

In his letter – one of the first time the Ukrainian president has appealed directly to Putin since the start of the war – Zelenskiy said Russians had grown tired of Ukrainian missile and drone attacks, high inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready for peace.

He also said that, with the United States focused on the ⁠conflict in Iran, "it would be wrong to simply wait until the war in Europe returns ​to the centre of its attention".

Putin already ruled out any meeting, saying he saw "no point" until a possible peace deal had been agreed.

(with newswires)