The leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Poland arrived in Kyiv yesterday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a show of unity a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his allies in a Victory Day parade on Red Square in Moscow.
The summit is to discuss a US and European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the Russian war in Ukraine that if refused by Moscow would see them jointly impose new sanctions, a French diplomatic source said, adding that the step had not yet been finalized.
The visit by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is the first time the leaders of the four countries have traveled together to Ukraine.
Photo: AP
“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace,” the four leaders said in a joint statement.
The visit comes at an unpredictable diplomatic moment in Russia’s more than three-year-long war against Ukraine. US President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid peace after tearing up the policies of his predecessor since entering the White House in January.
After engaging directly with Russian officials, clashing publicly with Zelenskiy and briefly cutting vital military aid to Ukraine, the Trump administration has patched up ties with Kyiv and signed an arduously-negotiated mineral resources deal.
There has also been a palpable shift in tone from Trump, who has signaled growing frustration with Putin’s foot-dragging over a ceasefire and Russia’s restatement of its demands for a settlement.
Trump has threatened to step up sanctions against Russia, but he has also said he could abandon the peace effort if there is no breakthrough. He called on Thursday for a 30-day ceasefire and Zelenskiy said he would be ready to implement it immediately.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia supports the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict, but only with due consideration of “nuances.”
On the eve of the summit, the US embassy in Kyiv warned of a “potentially significant” air attack in the coming days and told its citizens to be ready to seek shelter in the event of air raid sirens.
“There is a lot of work to do, a lot of topics to discuss. We must end this war with a just peace. We must force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire,” said Andriy Yermak, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, posting photographs welcoming the leaders off the train.
The four visitors met with Zelenskiy yesterday morning and paid their respects at a memorial in central Kyiv to honor Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war.
They are to host a virtual meeting with other leaders to update them on progress being made for a future coalition of an air, land, maritime and “regeneration” force that would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal, Britain’s Downing Street said.
The visit falls on the final day of a ceasefire declared for Thursday to yesterday by Putin that Ukraine did not accept, denouncing it as a sham. Both sides have accused each other of violating it.
Zelenskiy on Thursday said he told Trump in a telephone call that a 30-day ceasefire would be a “real indicator” of progress towards peace with Russia, and that Kyiv was ready to implement it immediately.
The French diplomatic source said work had not been completed on the proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, but that the US and European allies hoped they were “at a moment of convergence.”
“What could happen in the coming hours and days, there could be an announcement of a ceasefire either of 30 days or compartmentalized, which is still being discussed,” the source said.
Merz, who became Germany’s chancellor this week, said on Friday that the ball was now in Moscow’s court.
“It is solely there that the decision will be made as to whether there is a chance, starting this coming weekend — that is, at the beginning of next week — to enable a longer ceasefire in Ukraine,” he said.
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