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Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine “can’t manage” without European and American support amid crisis talks at Downing Street on Monday. Ukraine’s president joined Sir Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz for negotiations on a peace process after Donald Trump ramped up his criticism of Ukraine’s leader.

The US president accused Mr Zelensky of having failed to read the latest peace plan, saying he was “a little disappointed” in the Ukrainian leader, while insisting Russia’s Vladimir Putin was “fine with it”. Sir Keir said any peace deal would need to have “hard-edged” security guarantees for Ukraine to prevent Putin restarting the war. The UK leader said any ceasefire in Ukraine must be “just” and “lasting”, adding: “We are at a critical stage in the push for peace.

“The principles remain the same: we stand with Ukraine, and if there is to be a ceasefire, it needs to be a just and lasting ceasefire.”

Mr Zelensky said his country “can’t manage” without European and American support.

He said: “A lot of what we have to discuss … are things that are very important for unity between Europe and Ukraine, and also unity between Europe and Ukraine and the United States.

“We can’t manage without Americans, we can’t manage without Europe, and that is why we need to make some important decisions.”

Without further aid, Ukraine is forecast to run out of money as soon as March or April.

Mr Merz said he is “sceptical” about details in the US-backed peace proposal for Ukraine.

Speaking ahead of talks that focused on Ukraine’s reconstruction, Mr Merz said: “This could be a decisive time for all of us, so we are trying to continue our support for Ukraine.

“On the other hand, we are seeing these talks in Moscow and the US and looking forward to hearing what the outcome of these talks might be.

“We are still – and remain – strongly behind Ukraine because we all know that the destiny of this country is the destiny of Europe.”

He added: “I am sceptical about some of the details which we are seeing in the documents coming from the US side, but we have to talk about that, which is why we are here.”

During the meeting at No 10, Mr Zelensky was expected to hear updates on a host of support European allies are providing to Ukraine, including on how frozen Russian assets could be used.

British officials suggested they were hopeful of movement on using these assets in the coming days.

Mr Macron said Ukraine’s allies have “a lot of cards” in their hands.

He pointed to the funding of equipment and arms for Ukraine, the Ukrainian resistance and the economic impact of sanctions imposed by the US and Europe on Russia as positive signs.

Mr Macron said: “Now I think the main issue is the convergence between our common positions – Europeans and Ukrainians and the US – to finalise these peace negotiations and re-engage in a new phase that means the best possible conditions for Ukraine, for the Europeans, and for collective security.”

Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky also called other European leaders on Monday afternoon to update them on the discussions. Mr Trump did not dial in, it is understood.

Ukraine’s president headed to Brussels after the meeting to talk with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa. He is also due in Rome on Tuesday.

There are hopes of a coming breakthrough on seizing frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine.

The meeting followed the publication of a new US national security strategy that made improving relations with Moscow one of Washington’s top priorities.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed the document, saying it was broadly in line with Moscow’s own vision.

Mr Zelensky has insisted there was no agreement with Mr Trump on land swaps between Ukraine and Russia as part of a peace deal.

He said more discussion is needed on who will have the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is in Washington for talks with her US counterpart Marco Rubio.

She is expected to focus on efforts to secure an end to the war in Ukraine, as well as UK-US co-operation on global security and the ceasefire in Gaza.