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Leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland arrive in Kyiv to push for 30-day ceasefire Zelenskyy and European leaders phone Trump to discuss peace efforts
(about 5 hours later)
Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz and Donald Tusk arrive in Ukraine in show of support amid US intelligence warning of possible air attack Leaders of UK, France, Germany and Poland meet Ukrainian president in show of support as US intelligence warns of air threat
The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland have arrived in Kyiv for a symbolic visit to Ukraine, one day after Vladimir Putin hosted a set-piece military parade on Red Square. The visit comes as the US warned of intelligence about a big impending air attack on Ukraine. The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland have travelled to Kyiv and, together with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, made a joint phone call to Donald Trump to discuss plans for a peace settlement.
Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv on the same train on Saturday morning, while Donald Tusk travelled on a separate train. The four leaders met in the Polish city of Rzeszow on Friday night before departing. On Saturday, they will meet Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a show of support for Ukraine, Downing Street said in a statement issued late on Friday. Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz arrived in the Ukrainian capital on the same train on Saturday morning, while Donald Tusk travelled on a separate train. The leaders met Zelenskyy for talks in central Kyiv.
“We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland the United Kingdom will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion,” the four leaders said in a joint statement. “All five leaders had a fruitful call with @POTUS focused on peace efforts,” Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, wrote on X, adding a picture of the five men gathered around a mobile phone on speaker mode.
“Kyiv. There is an important day ahead of us,” Tusk posted on X after he arrived on the platform at Kyiv’s central railway station. Sybiha added: “Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday. If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations.”
The four European leaders will reiterate calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the conflict during their visit, something that Donald Trump and the US administration have said could be the first step on the way to a sustainable peace deal. Ukraine has said it is ready to implement but Russia has so far refused. The symbolic visit to Kyiv came a day after Vladimir Putin hosted a set-piece military parade on Red Square, and as the US warned of intelligence about a large impending air attack on Ukraine.
As the visit began, the four leaders said in a statement: “We … will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion.”
At a later press conference, the four are expected to reiterate calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, something Trump and the US administration have said could be the first step on the way to a sustainable peace deal. Ukraine has said it is ready to implement such a ceasefire but Russia has so far refused.
Instead, Moscow unilaterally declared a three-day ceasefire beginning on 8 May, which Kyiv said was designed to avoid Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia during celebrations of 80 years of the Soviet victory in the second world war, held in Moscow on Friday. Fighting has continued along the frontlines during the supposed ceasefire, both sides have said, but Russia has largely refrained from drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.Instead, Moscow unilaterally declared a three-day ceasefire beginning on 8 May, which Kyiv said was designed to avoid Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia during celebrations of 80 years of the Soviet victory in the second world war, held in Moscow on Friday. Fighting has continued along the frontlines during the supposed ceasefire, both sides have said, but Russia has largely refrained from drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
However, as the leaders were already en route to Ukraine, the US embassy in Kyiv put out a public warning late on Friday night that it had received intelligence of a “potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days”. It did not give further details. The US embassy in Kyiv put out a public warning late on Friday night that it had received intelligence of a “potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days”. It did not give further details.
The four European leaders visited Kyiv’s Maidan on Saturday morning, together with Zelenskyy and his wife. Thousands of flags have been planted in the central square, to remember those who have been killed in the war with Russia. The leaders paid their respects and had a moment of silence, before heading to talks with Zelenskyy. Later, Downing Street said the five would beam into a virtual meeting to update other leaders on progress being made for a so-called “air, land, maritime and regeneration force” that is planned to be part of a peace deal. The four European leaders visited Kyiv’s Maidan on Saturday morning with Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska. Thousands of flags have been erected in the central square to remember those killed in the war with Russia. The leaders paid their respects and had a moment of silence, before heading to talks with Zelenskyy. Later, Downing Street said the five would beam into a virtual meeting to update other leaders on progress being made for a so-called “air, land, maritime and regeneration force” that is planned to be part of a peace deal.
“We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal,” said the statement. “We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal,” the statement said.
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine.”“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine.”
It is Macron’s first visit to Kyiv since summer 2022, and the first visit as chancellor for Merz, who only took office this week. It is Macron’s first visit to Kyiv since summer 2022, and the first visit for Merz as chancellor, having only taken office this week.
On Friday, thousands of troops marched through Red Square as Putin held his annual Victory Day parade. Numerous world leaders attended, most notably China’s Xi Jinping, and the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.On Friday, thousands of troops marched through Red Square as Putin held his annual Victory Day parade. Numerous world leaders attended, most notably China’s Xi Jinping, and the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Robert Fico and Aleksandar Vučić, prime minister of EU member Slovakia and president of EU hopeful Serbia respectively, also attended the parade, drawing irritation from other European leaders. Robert Fico and Aleksandar Vučić, the prime minister of EU member Slovakia and the president of EU hopeful Serbia respectively, also attended the parade, drawing irritation from other European leaders.
“All those who truly support peace cannot stand side-by-side with Putin. Those who truly support peace should be in Ukraine tomorrow, not Moscow,” said the EU’s top diplomat on Thursday. Foreign ministers from numerous EU countries, as well as Britain’s David Lammy, travelled to Lviv on Friday, to announce the foundation of a tribunal for Russian war crimes in Ukraine. “All those who truly support peace cannot stand side-by-side with Putin. Those who truly support peace should be in Ukraine tomorrow, not Moscow,” said the EU’s top diplomat on Thursday. Foreign ministers from numerous EU countries, as well as Britain’s David Lammy, travelled to Lviv on Friday to announce the foundation of a tribunal for Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Saturday’s visit to Kyiv is likely to focus more on finding a common western position on Ukraine to take to Donald Trump, as European leaders try their best to keep the US onside. The Trump administration has so far appeared to be much tougher on Kyiv than Moscow, but there are some small signals that the mood in Washington might be changing, after a positive meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Vatican on the sidelines of the pope’s funeral. Saturday’s visit to Kyiv is likely to focus more on finding a common western position on Ukraine to take to Trump, as European leaders try their best to keep the US onside. The Trump administration has so far appeared to be much tougher on Kyiv than Moscow, but there are some small signals that the mood in Washington might be changing, after a positive meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Vatican on the sidelines of the pope’s funeral.
Even vice-president JD Vance, seen as the most sceptical of voices on support for Ukraine, has criticised Moscow’s stance in recent days. “Right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much,” he said earlier in the week. Even the vice-president, JD Vance, seen as the most sceptical of voices on support for Ukraine, has criticised Moscow’s stance in recent days. “Right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much,” he said this week.
Trump was asked by reporters in the Oval Office if he had a message for Putin on Friday, after the US embassy had released its air attack warning. “I have a message for both parties: Get this war ended,” he said, adding: “Get this stupid war finished. That’s my message for both of them.”Trump was asked by reporters in the Oval Office if he had a message for Putin on Friday, after the US embassy had released its air attack warning. “I have a message for both parties: Get this war ended,” he said, adding: “Get this stupid war finished. That’s my message for both of them.”