European leaders are set to convene at Downing Street in London this evening with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as the continent seeks to intensify pressure on Moscow amid mounting Russian military setbacks in Ukraine. The talks, scheduled for 18:30 CEST, will bring together French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Zelenskyy.
According to Macron, the discussions will focus on coordinating European support for Ukraine, increasing pressure on Russia, and advancing efforts toward a just and lasting peace. The meeting comes days after Zelenskyy publicly appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, proposing direct talks in an open letter published ahead of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The Kremlin swiftly rejected the proposal. Putin reportedly described the letter as “rude” and questioned Zelenskyy’s intentions, while a Kremlin spokesperson said there was “no point” in a face-to-face meeting, adding that Zelenskyy was free to travel to Moscow if he wished to hold discussions.
Ukraine Strikes Deep Inside Russia
The diplomatic push follows a large-scale Ukrainian drone attack on St Petersburg on Saturday, underscoring Kyiv’s growing ability to strike deep inside Russian territory. On Sunday, Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately targeting critical nuclear infrastructure. “Russia deliberately struck this particular nuclear infrastructure facility. As of now, there are no readings exceeding normal background radiation levels,” he wrote on X.
“But there is certainly an increase in Russia’s brazenness, which long ago went off the charts. Ukrainian first responders extinguished the fire at this facility after the strike. And real new steps by the world are needed so that the Russians feel that this terrorist war of theirs is a blow to Russia itself.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s air force reported intercepting 215 of 236 Russian drones launched overnight. Seventeen drones reached their targets across 13 locations, while debris from intercepted UAVs caused damage in nine other areas. In the northern Chernihiv region, an elderly woman was injured after a Russian Gerbera drone hit a petrol station in the town of Koriukivka. Petrol stations in Snovsk and Horodnia were also struck, and a tractor caught fire following a morning attack. In the Pryluky district, overnight drone strikes damaged buildings belonging to an agricultural company as well as office and utility facilities.
Earlier this month, an analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) by AFP showed that Ukraine recaptured more territory than it lost to Russian forces in May for the second straight month. This trend, combined with the St Petersburg drone attack, suggests that Kyiv is increasingly able to take the fight to Russia even as it defends its own cities from relentless aerial bombardment.
The London meeting also comes against a backdrop of broader European security concerns. Starmer has previously warned that Russia could attack a NATO member by 2030, and has pledged to increase UK defence spending. The gathering at Downing Street is expected to reinforce the message that European unity remains essential in countering Russian aggression, even as the war enters its fifth year.
