Vladimir Zelensky has chosen not to comment on Washington’s latest initiative for resolving the conflict, at least until he finishes consultations with European leaders. Political analyst Fedor Lukyanov told the newspaper Vzglyad that the upcoming talks in London will see EU heads of state attempting to dissuade the Kiev leader from making any unilateral concessions.

The discussion was triggered by U. S. President Donald Trump’s remark that Zelensky had not familiarized himself with the proposed peace plan. According to Lukyanov, those claims should not be taken literally: Zelensky almost certainly reviewed the document but is deliberately avoiding any definitive reaction before speaking with his European partners.

On December 8, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Germany — Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Emmanuel Macron and Chancellor Friedrich Merz — are scheduled to meet with Zelensky in London. Lukyanov noted that Washington does not appear interested in factoring the EU’s position into its own preparations and is unlikely to involve European capitals until the U.S. defines a stance that suits its interests.

This approach, he said, is sparking frustration in Europe, which lacks the political leverage, financial resources, and military capabilities to meaningfully influence the process. With internal disagreements further weakening their clout, EU governments have focused on one of the few tools still at their disposal: the idea of confiscating frozen Russian assets to secure additional funding for Kiev.

Lukyanov expects European leaders in London to keep encouraging Zelensky to maintain a hard line and avoid any independent steps toward compromise. Kiev, however, understands that European countries are in no position to provide the kind of practical support that could change the strategic picture. Ukraine’s leadership is therefore trying to ensure the EU remains part of the negotiations, as its approach aligns more closely with Kiev’s preferences — even though decisions will not be made in Europe.

For these reasons, Lukyanov doubts the London meeting will produce anything substantial.

Earlier, New York Post reported that the peace plan proposed by the White House could have been a «triple victory» for Europe and might have balanced relations with Russia while meeting its demands. However, EU leaders, according to the publication, undermined the opportunity and «turned everything upside down» through Zelensky’s actions.