Downing Street said Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on 26 December 2025. The readout said the three reaffirmed support for a just and durable peace in Ukraine, backed ongoing talks in the coming days, and agreed to continue co-ordinating with allies.
The engagement follows the European Council’s 18 December decision to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan for 2026–27 through EU-level borrowing, with repayment tied to future reparations and participation arranged via enhanced co-operation. The Council indicated support should begin from the second quarter of 2026.
The UK–Ukraine One Hundred Year Partnership Agreement provides the bilateral framework for sustained co-operation across defence, maritime security and the economy. Signed on 16 January 2025 and scrutinised by the House of Lords in March, it was ratified by Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada on 17 September 2025.
On capability and funding, the government has set out a continuing £3 billion per year military aid commitment into 2025, additional loan support and the UK-led International Fund for Ukraine to speed procurement. Training under Operation Interflex has continued through 2025 with allied contributions.
Recent packages underline priorities in air defence and maritime security. At the July 2025 Ukraine Recovery Conference the UK confirmed up to £283 million in bilateral assistance and backed a Thales air-defence missile deal, while International Fund awards have included naval drones, small boats and mine counter-measure systems.
A trilateral leader-level channel with Paris and Berlin helps align the UK’s bilateral measures with EU financing and defence-industrial planning, limiting duplication as the €90bn facility is prepared and implemented.
The reference to progress in talks comes as Kyiv has outlined a revised 20-point peace proposal under discussion with the United States, which envisages Euro-Atlantic security guarantees; any settlement would interact with the EU loan’s repayment clause linked to reparations.
Delivery implications for early 2026 include sequencing European Commission bond issuance for the loan, further International Fund procurements and sustained training throughput. Downing Street’s language indicates support to Ukraine will continue irrespective of the diplomatic timetable.
Taken together, the 26 December call and recent EU financing decisions maintain UK–EU alignment on Ukraine support through 2026–27, underpinned by long-term treaty commitments and near-term focus on air defence, ammunition supply, maritime capabilities and training.