European Leaders : Current Front Line to Serve as Starting Point for Peace Negotiations

The leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine have agreed that the current front line should serve as the baseline for any territorial negotiations aimed at resolving the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This position emerged from a telephone call on the morning of November 21 involving German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In a subsequent German government press release, the four leaders reaffirmed their unwavering and full support for Ukraine in pursuit of a just and lasting peace.

They welcomed recent U.S. initiatives to end the war and pledged to coordinate closely on next steps, while stressing that Kyiv must remain centrally involved in any talks. The statement comes against the backdrop of reports about a proposed American settlement framework that reportedly envisages territorial compromises.

Following the call, Prime Minister Starmer emphasized that Ukraine alone must shape its future within the framework of its sovereignty, and that the shared objective remains a just and enduring peace.