On May 10, 2025, leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland arrived in Kyiv for a historic joint visit aimed at advocating for a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. The delegation, comprising UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss strategies for de-escalation and potential peace negotiations.
In a unified statement, the European leaders condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and emphasized the urgent need to halt hostilities. They pledged increased military and financial support to Ukraine should Russia refuse to agree to the proposed ceasefire. The leaders also deliberated on the formation of a European security force to assist Ukraine in post-war reconstruction and stabilization efforts.
German Chancellor Merz warned of the imposition of harsher sanctions against Russia if it declines the ceasefire proposal. French President Macron advocated for direct talks between Ukraine and Russia during any truce period to facilitate a more permanent resolution. Meanwhile, Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that any ceasefire must be accompanied by a halt in Western arms shipments to Ukraine to prevent giving Kyiv a strategic advantage. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed conditional support for a ceasefire but raised concerns over continued Western military aid to Ukraine.
The United States, through President Donald Trump, also called for an end to the conflict, labeling it a “stupid war.” This visit by European leaders is seen as a coordinated effort to align European diplomatic approaches ahead of further international engagement. Contrastingly, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico attended victory celebrations in Moscow, expressing a willingness to maintain relations with Russia, a move that has stirred controversy within the European Union.
