European leaders meet in Kyiv, demand 30-day ceasefire from Russia

Ukraine and European leaders met in Kyiv on Saturday and agreed to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting May 12, with backing from U.S. President Donald Trump. 

They warned President Vladimir Putin of “massive” sanctions if he failed to comply.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Poland, and Ukraine made the announcement after meeting in Kyiv. 

They later held a phone call with Trump, who supports a swift peace process but has not yet made a public statement.

“So all of us here, together with the US, are calling Putin out. 

“If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it.

“No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays,” British Prime Minister,  Keir Starmer said in a news conference.

Following through on the threat of sanctions would mark a strong sign of Western unity after months of erratic US policy. 

Trump has reversed many of his predecessor’s actions since taking office in January.

After initially clashing with Ukrainian President,  Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and briefly cutting military aid, Trump’s administration has since repaired relations with Kyiv. 

They recently signed a long-negotiated mineral resources deal.

Trump’s tone has also shifted, signalling growing frustration with what Washington sees as Putin’s delay tactics regarding a ceasefire.

Zelenskiy confirmed that an unconditional ceasefire would begin on Monday, May 12.

“It must cover air, sea, and land,” he said, warning that failure by Moscow would result in enhanced sanctions, especially targeting Russia’s energy and banking sectors.

On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia supported the ceasefire, but only with “due consideration of nuances.”

In a Saturday ABC interview, Peskov added that Western military aid to Ukraine must stop for the ceasefire to be meaningful.

“Otherwise, it will be an advantage for Ukraine,” he said.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Western support has been crucial for Ukraine’s defense.

In Kyiv, European leaders held a phone call with Trump after their talks.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted a photo on X showing the five leaders gathered around a table with a phone.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire would be monitored primarily by the United States, with European countries assisting.

He warned of “massive” sanctions if Russia did not comply.

Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and current security official, mocked the ultimatum.

“Shove these peace plans up your pangender arses!” he wrote on X.

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The European leaders said negotiations on a formal peace deal would begin during the ceasefire.

Zelenskiy noted: “We have no illusions that the ceasefire will be breached.”

Ahead of the summit, the US embassy in Kyiv warned of a “potentially significant” air attack and urged citizens to prepare to shelter in case of air raid sirens.

When the European leaders arrived in Kyiv by train earlier Saturday, the platform displayed “Bravery Express.”

Zelenskyy joined them to pay tribute at a memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers.

This visit came at the close of a May 8–10 ceasefire declared by Putin, which Ukraine rejected as a sham. Both sides have accused the other of violating it.

Journalists at a field hospital in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region saw soldiers arriving with combat wounds sustained during the supposed ceasefire.

“There hasn’t been any ceasefire, shelling has continued just as before, drones are flying just like before, the same with explosives being dropped. Nothing has changed at all,” said a wounded soldier named Stanislav.

(Reuters)

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