Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and French President Emmanuel Macron, talk on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street, London, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, following a meeting of the leaders inside.

European leaders are rarely upbeat when discussing the devastating war in Ukraine, but Monday’s talks seemed to take the despondence to the next level.

Despite rolling out the red carpet for Volodymyr Zelenskyy outside No.10 Downing Street, and embracing the embattled Ukrainian president tightly, Keir Starmer looked more than just a little concerned as he hosted the small delegation.

His counterparts, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz, wore similarly glum expressions.

Their hastily-arranged meeting came after Ukrainian negotiators failed to make any headway with their US opposites over the latest draft of

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