Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was set to hold urgent talks on Thursday with leaders and senior officials from around 30 countries backing Kyiv’s push for fair terms to end the war with Russia.
Top leaders from Germany, Britain and France were expected to join the virtual meeting of Ukraine’s partners, known as the Coalition of the Willing.
Zelenskyy signalled that the consultations were hastily arranged as Kyiv tries to avoid being pressured by U.S. President Donald Trump, who is urging a rapid settlement. European governments are racing to shape the talks, saying their own security depends on the outcome.
Trump said Wednesday that he had discussed peace proposals “in pretty strong terms” with European leaders and insisted that Zelenskyy “has to be realistic” about a plan that would see Ukraine give up territory to Russia. He did not provide further detail.
Trump’s push to broker a deal has stretched beyond his own deadlines. He initially demanded that Kyiv accept his plan before Thanksgiving, but that and earlier timelines have passed without agreement.
Russia, aiming to avoid fresh U.S. sanctions, is also trying to show it is engaging with Trump’s efforts. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow has sent Washington additional proposals on collective security guarantees that Ukraine and Europe say are essential to prevent future attacks. He offered no specifics.
The diplomatic rush came as Ukraine carried out one of its largest drone strikes of the nearly four-year war, forcing all four Moscow airports to halt flights for seven hours overnight. Airports in eight other Russian cities also faced restrictions, according to Russia’s civil aviation authority.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses shot down 287 Ukrainian drones across several regions. The strike highlighted Ukraine’s ability to hit deep inside Russia, countering the Kremlin’s argument that the invasion gives Moscow overwhelming leverage.
Analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to appear to be negotiating from a position of strength. But since launching the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has seized only about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory.
European leaders said Wednesday the talks had reached “a critical moment.” Zelenskyy added late Wednesday that Ukraine will coordinate further with European partners next week.
EU member states are scheduled to hold a regular summit in Brussels at the end of next week.