The leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom travelled to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Saturday, amid renewed international calls for Russia to agree to a lasting ceasefire and engage in peace talks. The visit is aimed at demonstrating Western solidarity with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following Russian President Vladimir Putin's hosting of the leaders of China and Brazil for "Victory Day," the Financial Times reported. New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz joined his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in the Ukrainian capital. This marked the first visit by the European quartet since Merz assumed the chancellorship earlier this month. In a joint statement issued prior to the visit, the leaders called for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine to revitalise US-led negotiations aimed at ending the war. "We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and Britain, will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion," the statement read. They added their full support for US President Donald Trump's calls for a peace agreement, urging Russia to "stop obstructing efforts to secure a lasting peace." The statement continued: "We are clear that the bloodshed must stop, Russia must halt its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to thrive as a secure and sovereign state within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come." The European leaders affirmed their readiness to support talks between Ukraine and Russia and to explore how a ceasefire could be implemented "to prepare for a comprehensive peace agreement." This high-level visit follows a trip by European Union foreign ministers from approximately 20 countries to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Friday. During their visit, they announced support for the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute senior Russian officials for war crimes allegedly committed by Moscow's forces during the conflict. This tribunal is to be established under a joint agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights body. These diplomatic moves come after US President Donald Trump on Thursday called on Russia and Ukraine to implement an "unconditional" 30-day ceasefire, threatening additional sanctions if the period was not respected. US-European Plan Taking Shape Sources familiar with the leaders' agenda on Saturday indicated that the United States, Europe, and Ukraine are close to finalising a plan for an initial, unconditional 30-day ceasefire. This would allow them to impose new sanctions on Russia if the Kremlin refuses to proceed with de-escalation and continues the war. According to Bloomberg, the plans are not yet finalised and depend primarily on the U.S. position, with the Trump administration advocating for an unconditional one-month truce and accountability for both Russia and Ukraine regarding adherence to direct negotiations. The U.S. administration has prepared a package of options to increase economic pressure on Russia, although the President has not yet made a final decision while diplomatic efforts continue, Bloomberg reported. Trump stated on his Truth Social platform: "If the ceasefire is not respected, the United States and its partners will impose further sanctions." During their visit, the leaders are expected to honour Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war and offer condolences at Kyiv's symbolic Independence Square. Other European counterparts are expected to join discussions later online regarding plans to form an alliance to support Ukraine's air, land, and sea defences, assist in rebuilding its military after any peace agreement, and ensure its long-term security. On Friday, the European Union called for a full and unconditional ceasefire of at least 30 days, stressing that Russia must "demonstrate its readiness to achieve peace." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia supports the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine but stipulated that "nuances" in the more than three-year-long war must be considered. "This issue was raised by the Ukrainian side a long time ago," Russia's TASS news agency quoted Peskov as saying. He added: "As soon as [the Donald Trump administration proposed this idea], President (Vladimir) Putin supported it with some reservations, because it is very difficult to discuss this matter in detail if answers are not reached on a large number of nuances related to the idea of a ceasefire." Russia has repeatedly stated that implementing a long-term ceasefire depends on establishing mechanisms for monitoring and adherence. Andriy Yermak, head of President Zelenskyy's office, said in a social media post that "the United States and our other strategic partners such as the UK, France, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries support a 30-day ceasefire." He added they are discussing when "very strong sanctions" should be imposed if Russia refuses the ceasefire.
