BERLIN

Germany, France, and the UK stressed on Friday that any peace agreement on Ukraine must ensure that Ukrainian armed forces can continue effectively defending the country's sovereignty.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke over the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss US President Donald Trump's 28-point peace plan.

Following the call, a German government spokesman stated that the European leaders reaffirmed their “full support” for Ukraine on its path to a lasting and just peace, pledging to maintain close coordination with Washington on the matter.

"They agreed to continue pursuing the goal of safeguarding vital European and Ukrainian interests in the long term," Stefan Kornelius said.

“This includes, among other things, ensuring that the line of contact remains the starting point for any arrangement and that the Ukrainian armed forces must remain capable of effectively defending Ukraine's sovereignty,” he stressed.

The spokesman also noted that the leaders emphasized that any agreement affecting European states, the European Union, or NATO requires the approval of European partners or a consensus among the allies.