European officials are increasing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine without any conditions, according to Politico. They warned that if Moscow did not agree, the West would impose further sanctions and step up military support for Kiev.
Crucially, US President Donald Trump has supported the European demands and is willing to contribute to the implementation and oversight of a possible ceasefire, as the European side has said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed that Putin must accept the ceasefire without "no buts and postponements" and work towards a lasting peace agreement.
Leaders from the UK, Germany, France, Poland and Ukraine - namely Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk and Volodymyr Zelensky - met together in Kiev, where they arrived by train for a more than nine-hour visit. During the meeting at the Mariinsky Palace, Macron took the initiative to call Trump on his mobile phone, despite the early hour in Washington. Trump took the call and agreed to support the European plan, two unnamed European officials said.
Macron then told reporters that the ceasefire would have "oversight primarily by the United States, to which all Europeans will contribute".
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the meeting a success and thanked Trump for his full support. He added that the US government was committed to monitoring the ceasefire. Two European officials present in Kiev also praised the outcome of the meeting, especially because it succeeded in engaging Trump, although one of them warned against Trump's tendency to change his views quickly.
Much now depends on Putin's reaction. However, shortly before the meeting, the Kremlin, through a spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected an extended ceasefire until the West stops supporting Kiev militarily. Macron described this position as "deliberate stalling"that prevent peace.
The European leaders also decided that if Russia accepts the ceasefire, their foreign policy advisers will immediately start preparing a long-term peace agreement.
The Western allies also plan to increase financial and logistical assistance to Ukraine, including deliveries of tanks, drones, ammunition and long-range missiles to strengthen Ukraine's position on the battlefield.
Moreover, the meeting in Kiev preceded Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, where Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other friendly leaders, underscoring the geopolitical tensions. Germany, as Europe's most financially powerful country, is expected to play a key role in financing Ukrainian arms production, as one official pointed out. At the same time, European leaders want to ensure that Putin does not know the exact quantities and types of weapons being supplied, and avoid political debates that could undermine support for Ukraine. Zelensky endorsed that strategy at the press conference and declined to speak publicly about specific weapons, such as German Taurus missiles.
Politico/gnews.cz - GH
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