"Can we imagine giving up territories? We have no legal right to do so, according to Ukrainian law, our constitution and international law. And we have no moral right either," Zelensky said, according to AFP, at a digital press conference after the London meeting, before he left for Brussels.
In London, Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The quartet, as usual, signaled friendly unity and were greeted with hugs.
The goal now is to reach consensus between the US, Ukraine and Europe, according to Macron.
"The main issue is the convergence of our common positions, those of the Europeans and the Ukrainians and the United States, to complete these peace negotiations," he said, AFP reports.
Skeptical about details
In connection with the meeting, Merz expressed doubts about parts of the draft peace proposal on the table.
"I am skeptical about some of the details we see in the drafts from the American side, but we need to talk about it. That is why we are here," said the Chancellor.
Among the topics of discussion were also "robust security guarantees" for Ukraine and the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukrainian reconstruction, a spokesperson for Starmer told The Guardian.
After this weekend's talks between Ukraine and the United States in Florida, US President Donald Trump directed new criticism at Zelensky, who he believes is "not ready" to sign peace proposals from the United States.
Will not press
Ahead of the meeting in London, Keir Starmer said that a peace must be just and lasting. He will not push for Ukraine to sign anything that does not meet those requirements.
"I'm not going to pressure the president," he told ITV.
At least in early versions of the peace plan, the US has been heavily criticized for uncritically accepting the Moscow regime's view of the conflict. But Starmer still praises Trump.
"You can never go from conflict to peace along a simple, straight path," Starmer said.
What President Trump has managed to accomplish in recent weeks, to get this far, is the furthest we have come in four years.
Zelensky will meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Council President António Costa in Brussels on Monday evening.
