Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom in Kyiv on May 10 to urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to either agree to a “full and unconditional” ceasefire beginning May 12 or face “stronger sanctions”. The month-long ceasefire, proposed to create “room for diplomacy”, has received backing from Europe and the United States.
Before appealing for a ceasefire, all five leaders held a joint call with US President Donald Trump. A photo from Kyiv, shared by the leaders, showed Zelenskyy with the UK PM Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish PM Donald Tusk – marking their first joint visit to Ukraine.
Russia-Ukraine War: ‘Month-long ceasefire for diplomatic talks’
“They [Ukraine and EU leaders] agreed that starting Monday, May 12, there should be a full and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days,” the joint statement read. It emphasised that an “unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions”.
The leaders warned that any preconditions put forth by Russia would be considered as an effort to “prolong the war and undermine diplomacy”.
The ceasefire, they said, must be comprehensive – covering operations in the air, at sea, and on land – monitoring of which would be conducted in close coordination with the United States.
“During this period, diplomatic work should focus on outlining the security, political and humanitarian foundations of peace…. The call for a ceasefire and meaningful negotiations is supported by both Europe and the United States,” it stressed.
Russia-Ukraine War: ‘Stronger sanctions if Russia disagrees’
The joint statement underlined that if Russia fails to agree to the complete ceasefire, it would face stronger sanctions. “….stronger sanctions should be applied to its banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil and the shadow fleet,” the statement shared with a picture of the world leaders standing shoulder to shoulder said.
The world leaders said that the preparations are underway for a strong 17th package of EU sanctions, which will be coordinated with the sanctions of the UK, Norway, and the United States.
The visit came on the final day of a May 8–10 ceasefire unilaterally declared by Putin, which Ukraine rejected as a “sham”. Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of violating that temporary ceasefire. It also came just a day after Putin welcomed world leaders, including the presidents of China and Brazil, to Moscow to celebrate the Victory Day – marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany with a military parade.
‘Ukraine’s security is our security’: Starmer
UK President Keir Starmer shared pictures from his Kyiv visit and wrote, “Ukraine’s security is our security.” In a separate post, he said that he “would do all he can to help secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine”. Alongside, he shared a video from his visit, where he also paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the war.
He also said that he will not “rest” until a “just and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people” is achieved.
‘Count on us, my friend’: Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron posted a video of himself and Zelenskyy on social media sharing a warm hug as they met in Kyiv.
‘Zelenskyy is a friend and partner’: Merz
“Take care, and we’ll keep in touch. Always if you want. You can call,” said German Chancellor Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz. He referred to Zelenskyy as a “friend and partner”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also proposed direct talks with Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul which he said should be aimed at bringing a durable peace and eliminating the root causes of the war, Reuters reported.