British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held talks on Saturday on US-led peace efforts for Ukraine and the possible use of frozen Russian assets to support Kyiv, as diplomatic activity around ending the war intensified.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke on Saturday amid heightened diplomatic activity around efforts to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. Their discussion focused on work linked to US-led peace proposals and possible steps to use frozen Russian sovereign assets to support Kyiv financially.
“Both agreed that this is a pivotal moment for Ukraine’s future and that Europe will stand with them for as long as it takes to achieve a just and lasting peace,” a Downing Street spokesperson said after the call.
The talks came as the White House confirmed that US President Donald Trump’s special envoy would meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders in Berlin over the weekend.
Ahead of those meetings, Zelensky warned that Russia “still aims to destroy” Ukraine, after what Kyiv described as “massive” overnight Russian strikes on energy facilities left thousands without electricity across the country. Russia said it had struck Ukrainian sites using hypersonic ballistic missiles, calling the attacks retaliation for Ukrainian actions.
“It is important that everyone now sees what Russia is doing – every step they take in terror against our people… for this is clearly not about ending the war,” Zelensky said on X.
“They still aim to destroy our state and inflict maximum pain on our people.” An 80-year-old woman was killed when a Russian shell hit a residential building in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, according to the regional governor, while strikes in the Black Sea port city of Odesa left some neighbourhoods without power.
US pressure and diplomatic push
Trump has increased pressure on Kyiv to reach an agreement since unveiling a plan last month to end the war, a proposal criticised for reflecting Moscow’s demands, including Ukraine giving up key territory. The 28-point plan has prompted intense diplomatic exchanges between Washington and Ukraine’s European allies, with Ukrainian officials recently saying they had sent the US a revised version. Full details of the updated proposal have not been made public.
A White House official confirmed on Friday that Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, would meet Zelensky and European leaders over the weekend to discuss the status of peace negotiations. In his late evening address on Saturday, Zelensky said his team “are currently preparing for meetings with the American side and our European friends in the coming days”.
“Most importantly, I will have meetings with representatives of President Trump, as well as meetings with our European partners and many leaders on the foundation of peace – a political agreement to end the war,” he added.
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