The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, and US vice-president, JD Vance, met with Ukrainian and European partners at Chevening in Kent on Saturday to discuss the drive for peace in Ukraine. The meeting, held at the request of the US, included Andriy Yermak, head of the office of the Ukrainian president, and Ukraine's defence minister, Rustem Umerov, alongside European national security advisers.
The summit comes ahead of a planned meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska. Trump has agreed to meet the Russian president even if he refuses to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy, raising fears Ukraine could be sidelined. A White House official said Trump was open to a trilateral summit but was planning a bilateral meeting with Putin at the Russian leader's request.
Zelenskyy stressed on Saturday that “Ukrainians will not give their land to occupiers” after Trump suggested an end to the war might involve “some swapping of territories”. In a Telegram post, Zelenskyy wrote: “Any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not bring anything. These are dead decisions. They will never work.”
On Saturday evening, Lammy posted on X that the UK's support for Ukraine remains “ironclad” as they work towards a just and lasting peace. Zelenskyy said the meeting of security advisers was constructive, with Kyiv's arguments heard and dangers taken into account. Officials from Britain, the US, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and Poland participated, aiming to consolidate positions for a ceasefire.
Leaders of the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the EU Commission released a joint statement declaring that the path to peace cannot be decided without Ukraine. They welcomed Trump's efforts to stop the killing and stressed the need for active diplomacy, support for Ukraine, and pressure on Russia. Earlier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Zelenskyy by phone, reiterating unwavering support and agreeing on the need to keep pressure on Putin.
