Russia complicating efforts to secure ceasefire in Ukraine
The coalition of the willing, the alliance which is planning to police a future peace deal in Ukraine, will meet on Sunday afternoon amid reports Donald Trump favours a Russian land grab to end the war.
Following the Alaska summit between Trump and Vladimir Putin on Friday, the American leader suggested he wants to move straight to a full peace deal, rather than negotiating a ceasefire first.
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The shift in Trump's position appears to echo the Russians' refusal to agree to ceasefire before engaging in peace talks.
Several news outlets have cited sources which claimed that during the negotiations Putin demanded full control of Donetsk and Luhansk – two occupied Ukrainian regions – as a condition for ending the war.
In exchange, he would give up other Ukrainian territories held by Russian troops.
Other outlets reported that Trump is inclined to support the plan, and will speak to Zelenskyy about it when they meet in the Oval Office.
Writing on social media on Sunday morning, the Ukrainian leader railed against Russia's refusal to lay down arms temporarily before agreeing to end the war.
(Image: PA) Zelenskyy said: 'We see that Russia rebuffs numerous calls for a ceasefire and has not yet determined when it will stop the killing.
'This complicates the situation.'
He added: 'If they lack the will to carry out a simple order to stop the strikes, it may take a lot of effort to get Russia to have the will to implement far greater – peaceful coexistence with its neighbours for decades.
'But together we are working for peace and security. Stopping the killing is a key element of stopping the war.'
The Prime Minister, alongside French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz, will host the coalition of the willing on Sunday afternoon.
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The video conference will see allies who plan to keep the peace in Ukraine gather ahead of Zelenskyy's visit to Washington on Monday.
The Ukrainian leader is expected to attend the Sunday afternoon video call, which is scheduled to take place at 2pm UK time.
Friday's summit between Trump and Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, ended without any commitment towards a ceasefire.
The Russian president described it as 'timely' and 'useful' after he left.
Trump afterwards suggested it was time for Zelenskyy to make a deal to end the war.
(Image: Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Starmer commended Trump's 'pursuit of an end to the killing', but insisted Ukraine's leader must not be excluded from future talks to broker a peace in Ukraine.
The Prime Minister and European leaders appeared increasingly confident that Trump will offer a 'security guarantee' of air support to back up allied troops on the ground in Ukraine, should they be deployed to keep the peace.
Experts have warned that the face-to-face summit has risked legitimising the Russian leader, who has been made a pariah by the international community for invading Ukraine.
And, Zelenskyy has warned Russia may ramp up its strikes against his country in the coming days 'in order to create more favourable political circumstances for talks with global actors'.
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