Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Thursday. This meeting comes as Zelenskyy continues his diplomatic efforts ahead of a summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin scheduled for Friday in Alaska.

Zelenskyy's visit to London followed a trip to Berlin, where he met with European leaders and spoke virtually with Trump. The discussions focused on Ukraine's key demands for peace negotiations to end Russia's invasion, which began in February 2022. Ukraine has outlined five main demands: a ceasefire must precede any peace talks, Ukraine must participate in negotiations, and any territorial concessions should be based on current front lines. Additionally, Ukraine seeks strong security guarantees involving the U.S. and insists on increased sanctions against Russia if the Alaska summit does not yield positive results.

Zelenskyy and his European allies reported that Trump agreed to this negotiating framework. Trump warned Putin of "very severe consequences" if Russia does not agree to a ceasefire, although he did not specify what those consequences might entail. When asked if sanctions or tariffs would be included, Trump stated he did not need to elaborate.

The U.S. president described his call with Zelenskyy as "very friendly" and suggested that a second summit could be arranged to bring together Ukrainian and Russian leaders. Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Putin's intentions, stating, "Putin definitely does not want peace. He wants the occupation of our country. And we all really understand that. Putin will not be able to deceive anyone. We need further pressure for peace. Not only American, but also European sanctions."

Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of the Alaska meeting, hoping that the primary focus would be on achieving an immediate ceasefire. He noted that Trump has indicated there would be follow-up discussions after the summit to assess the outcomes and determine next steps.

Meanwhile, military tensions continue to escalate. Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 45 drones and two missiles overnight, with 24 drones intercepted or neutralized. The air force confirmed that 21 drones struck 12 locations across Ukraine. In response, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have shot down 52 Ukrainian drones during the same period.