European leaders pressure Russia to end Ukraine conflict

European leaders issued a stark ultimatum to Vladimir Putin on Saturday, May 10, 2025, during a joint visit to Kyiv:

agree to an unconditional ceasefire by Monday, or face harsher sanctions and an escalation in arms support to Ukraine.

The prime ministers and presidents of the UK, France, Germany, and Poland stood alongside Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as they announced the demand.

This came after jointly speaking with former U.S. President Donald Trump by phone.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking at a press conference with the other leaders, made it clear that the five nations, together with U.S. support, call for a ceasefire without any precondition.

He warned that if Putin rejects the offer for peace, there will be a coordinated response involving increased sanctions and military support.

“We are demanding an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putin’s conditions,” Starmer said.

“If he turns away from peace, we will act, working closely with President Trump and other allies.”

Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv together on Saturday morning.

The Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk arrived separately.

Macron’s visit was his first since 2022, and it marked Merz’s debut trip to Ukraine since becoming chancellor just days earlier.

The group met Zelenskyy in central Kyiv for talks that focused on securing a ceasefire and outlining the next steps if Russia fails to comply.

Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, described the leaders’ phone call with Trump as “fruitful” and said the group had discussed peace initiatives.

Sybiha noted that Ukraine and its allies are prepared to implement a full ceasefire, covering land, air, and sea operations.

The minister said the ceasefire should last for at least 30 days starting Monday, provided Russia agrees and proper monitoring is in place.

He emphasized that a sustained truce could create conditions for peace negotiations.

The White House has not released a statement on the call or Trump’s commitments.

Although Trump and his administration have publicly stated that a 30-day ceasefire could pave the way for a long-term peace deal.

Ukraine has signaled its readiness, but Russia has so far resisted unless the West halts arms deliveries to Kyiv.

Signs of Moscow’s rejection came quickly.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s former president and a hardliner, derided the leaders’ statements on X (formerly Twitter), calling their peace efforts disingenuous and offensive.

Rather than embracing the proposed truce, the Kremlin unilaterally declared a three-day ceasefire starting 8 May.

Kyiv dismissed this action as a ploy to avoid drone strikes during Russia’s World War II victory celebrations in Moscow.

Despite this declared pause, fighting has continued along the frontlines.

Both sides acknowledged ongoing combat, though Russia has scaled back its missile and drone assaults for the time being.

During the Victory Day parade in Red Square, thousands of troops marched while dignitaries from China, Brazil, Slovakia, and Serbia watched.

Attendance by EU-associated leaders like Robert Fico and Aleksandar Vučić drew disapproval from other European nations.

At the Kyiv press conference, Starmer criticized Putin’s approach to war and peace, pointing out that Putin was happy to call for a ceasefire to hold a military parade but refuses one when it could save lives.

“Ukraine has repeatedly shown its willingness to seek peace, but Putin continues to refuse,” he said.

He added that Putin has misread the historical lessons of World War II, where the true honor lay not in conquest but in defense and peace.

Macron also invoked the importance of defending the principles upon which Europe and the broader international system are built.

The war in Ukraine, he said, challenges those foundations and must be confronted with resolve.

The day’s events included a solemn visit to Kyiv’s Maidan square, where the leaders paid tribute to the victims of the ongoing conflict.

Flags representing those killed in the war filled the square, and the leaders stood in silence alongside Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska.

Afterwards, the group held virtual talks with additional leaders to discuss the creation of a comprehensive “air, land, maritime and regeneration force” envisioned as a component of a potential peace framework.

Though Trump has not publicly commented on the Kyiv phone call, he did tell reporters on Friday that he wants the war to end quickly.

“Get this stupid war finished,” he said, addressing both Russia and Ukraine.

His administration has appeared more skeptical of Ukraine in recent months.

Although a recent meeting with Zelenskyy in the Vatican hinted at a potential shift in Washington’s stance.

Even Vice President JD Vance, a known critic of aid to Ukraine, recently said Russia’s demands in exchange for peace were unreasonable.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a warning late Friday about a possible large-scale air attack.

Also, it later emerged that Russia plans to close airspace over a key missile testing site early next week, raising concerns of a potential ballistic missile launch.