European leaders have have held talks in Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an attempt to put pressure on Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire as a step to end the three-year conflict, threatening Moscow with \u201cmassive sanctions\u201d if it refuses.<\/p>\n
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv together by train from neighbouring Poland on Saturday. Later, they were joined by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.<\/p>\n
The demand was announced by the visiting leaders in a joint news conference with Zelenskyy. A \u201ccoalition of the willing\u201d, a group of more than 30 countries, have pledged to buttress Ukraine to fend off Russian aggression and occupation.<\/p>\n
The ceasefire would include a halt to fighting on land, sea and in the air. The European leaders threatened to ratchet up sanctions, including on Russia\u2019s energy and banking sectors, if Russian President Vladimir Putin did not comply.<\/p>\n
A force comprised of foreign troops could also be deployed as an added \u201creassurance\u201d measure, Macron said. He added that the United States would take the lead in monitoring a proposed cease-fire, with support from European countries.<\/p>\n
Starmer said, \u201conly one country started this illegal conflict, and that was Russia and Putin, and only one country stands in the way of resolving it peacefully, and that is Russia and Putin\u201d.<\/p>\n
The Kremlin then accused those European countries of making confrontational statements in Kyiv, the Russian Interfax news agency reported. \u201cWe hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more,\u201d Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
Later Saturday, Russia said it will consider the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, while Moscow has its own position, the TASS news agency said, citing Peskov.<\/p>\n
United States President Donald Trump has proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire as a step to end the conflict. But Putin has resisted so far.<\/p>\n
Ukraine\u2019s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said earlier Saturday that his country and its allies are ready for a \u201cfull, unconditional ceasefire\u201d with Russia for at least 30 days starting on Monday.<\/p>\n
Symbolic, yet practical<\/p>\n
It is the first time the leaders of the four European nations have made a joint visit to Ukraine.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere 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,\u201d said Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy\u2019s chief of staff, posting photographs welcoming the leaders off the train.<\/p>\n
More than three years into Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, the hugely symbolic show of European unity comes a day after Putin struck a defiant tone at a Moscow parade marking 80 years since victory in World War II.<\/p>\n
Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera\u2019s Zein Basravi said the quartet\u2019s visit was \u201csymbolic\u201d, practical meetings were taking place, and the leaders were trying to \u201ckeep the US on side moving forward with any sort of talks\u201d.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, Ukraine\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the five leaders held a phone call with Trump to discuss their peace efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations,\u201d Sybiha said on X.<\/p>\n
\nFollowing the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kyiv, all five leaders @ZelenskyyUa<\/a> @EmmanuelMacron<\/a> @bundeskanzler<\/a> @donaldtusk<\/a> @Keir_Starmer<\/a> had a fruitful call with @POTUS<\/a> focused on peace efforts.<\/p>\n
Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land,\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/MEfbtjtE4m<\/a><\/p>\n