Name: European leaders walk tightrope between backing Ukraine and keeping US on board | BBC News
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Their talks lasted more than two hours at Downing street between the leaders of the uk France, Germany and Ukraine.

And what's clear is that they all believe there's room for improvement in the peace plan put forward by Washington to end the war with Russia.

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The German Chancellor, Friedrich Mertz, was blunt in voicing his skepticism over some of the details in the documents coming from the US Side, while Zakir Starmer said any deal must include hard edged security guarantees for Kiev and that negotiations were at a critical stage in the push for peace.

President Zelensky is due to hold further talks this week in Brussels with EU and NATO officials.

We'll be live there in a moment, but first, here's James Landale.

For several weeks around the world, they've been talking the Americans and the Russians and the Ukrainians and the Americans.

Texts have been leaked, briefings have been given, but much remains unknown.

And what these European leaders arriving in Downing street are wondering is whether the terms of any ceasefire may be too hard for President Zelensky to bear.

Do you trust President Trump's team in these talks?

A question many diplomats in Europe are finding hard to answer.

Today's meeting is more than just the usual European show of solidarity for Ukraine.

It matters because these leaders are coming close to a point where they're going to have to make some difficult decisions about a plan made largely by the United States and Russia.

Their aim, of course, is to remain in lockstep, but

that may be tough as the negotiations reach what they call a decisive and critical stage.

It needs to be a just and lasting ceasefire, and

that's why it's so important that we repeatedly set out to put us forward matters about Ukrainian Ukraine.

But they know that principle has been tested by Washington's warmth towards Moscow.

For now, Ukraine's leader is desperate to avoid a transatlantic split.

also unity between Europe, Ukraine and the United States are something which we can't manage without Americans.

Among the issues said to be outstanding are what security guarantees Ukraine may get to deter future Russian attack, Moscow's demand for the last part of Don Donbass, Ukraine controls, and

the status of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant.

I'm skeptical about some of the details which we are seeing in the documents coming from the US Side, but

For now, President Trump's doing little to reassure that European skepticism.

I'm a little bit disappointed that President Zelensky hasn't yet read the proposal.

His people love it, but he has It, Russia's fine with it.

Russia's, you know, Russia I guess would rather have the whole country.

For now, Russia just keeps bombing the country.

Here it was the turn of Okhtyrka, a town in the northeastern Sumy region.

Russian attack drones striking an apartment block, injuring several people.

For many here, the diplomacy seems very far away.

Katya Adler is live in Brussels for us now, where support for Ukraine.

Katya, is likely to be as fulsome from the EU as it has been in Downing street.

Despite US pressure for a quick deal with Russia.

I mean, a real swirl of diplomatic activity from the Ukrainians here.

They feel under pressure from the United States, London, Brussels, then it's on to Rome.

But you have to ask what actually is going to be achieved in all of these European meetings?

Because behind closed doors European diplomats are clear, they do feel a bit between a rock and a hard place.

On the one hand, they absolutely stand by Ukraine, partly out of solidarity to Kiev and partly out of self interest.

Because there is a real conviction in Europe that how the war ends in Ukraine matters.

That if Vladimir Putin is left feeling any way victorious, this would be a short term peace.

He could be back for more in Ukraine and possibly more broadly in Europe.

If you think that NATO has warned that Vladimir Putin could invade a NATO member state in three to four years times.

But on the other hand, we see that European leaders are careful not to be too critical about US attempts to find a peace plan.

And that, simply put, is because after decades of underinvestment in their own defense, they need US support to keep this continent safe.

Even though the uk, France and others have all promised to spend a lot more in defence.

There are budgetary constraints and anyway, these things take time.

And that, Clive, is why you see European leaders stuck on the one hand between wanting to stand very strongly by Ukraine and on the other not wanting to alienate Washington altogether.

And sometimes it can be quite a tortuous dance to watch.

There are Europe editor live in Brussels.