Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, meets with French President Emanuel Macron, center, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz onboard a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday, May 9, 2025. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool Photo via AP)
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, meets with French President Emanuel Macron, center, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz onboard a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday, May 9, 2025. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool Photo via AP)
European leaders arrive in Kyiv amid push for 30-day ceasefire
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥 The leaders of four European countries arrived in Kyiv Saturday in a joint show of support as calls intensify for Russia to agree to a monthlong ceasefire in the three-year war.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, meets with French President Emanuel Macron, center, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz onboard a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday, May 9, 2025. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool Photo via AP)
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥 The leaders of four European countries arrived in Kyiv Saturday in a joint show of support as calls intensify for Russia to agree to a monthlong ceasefire in the three-year war.
The leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom arrived together at the train station in Kyiv, and met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shortly after to join a ceremony at Kyiv’s Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. They lit candles at a for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and civilians slain since Russia’s invasion.
The visit marked the first time the leaders of the four countries have traveled together to Ukraine, while Friedrich Merz is making his first visit to Ukraine as Germany鈥檚 new chancellor.
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Their visit came on the last day of a unilateral 3-day ceasefire declared by Moscow, to coincide with marking the defeat of Nazi Germany. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Thursday called that truce a 鈥渇arce,鈥 accusing Russian forces of violating it over 700 times less than a day after it formally came into effect. Both sides also said attacks on their troops had continued on Thursday.
Along with U.S. President Donald Trump, the European leaders are pushing for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to allow for peace talks on ending the conflict. In March, the United States proposed an immediate 30-day truce in the war, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has held out for .
We reiterate our backing for President Trump鈥檚 calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,鈥 the leaders said in a joint statement. 鈥淎longside the U.S., 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.”
Meanwhile, Russia has kept up attacks along the roughly 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) front line,
On Saturday morning, local officials in Ukraine鈥檚 northern Sumy region said Russian shelling over the past day killed three residents and wounded four more. Another civilian man died on the spot on Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern city of Kherson, according to regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin.
Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron, said: 鈥淲hat鈥檚 happening with Poland, Germany and Great Britain is a historic moment for European defense and toward a greater independence for our security. Obviously for Ukraine, but for all of us. It鈥檚 a new era. It鈥檚 a Europe that sees itself as a power.鈥
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Trump has previously pushed Ukraine to cede territory to Russia to end the war, 鈥 and causing alarm bells in Europe about how to fill the gap.
Ukraine鈥檚 European allies view the war as fundamental to the continent鈥檚 security, and pressure is now mounting to find ways to support Kyiv militarily 鈥 regardless of whether Trump pulls out.
Ukrainian presidential aide Andrii Yermak, who met the European leaders at Kyiv’s main train station, wrote on his Telegram: 鈥淭here is a lot of work, a lot of topics to discuss. We need to end this war with a just peace. We need to force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.”
Later in the day, the leaders began hosting a virtual meeting alongside Zelenskyy to update other leaders on the progress being made for a future so-called 鈥渃oalition of the willing鈥 that would help Ukraine’s armed forces after a peace deal and potentially deploy troops to Ukraine to police any with Russia.
