Asger Risom
Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk Call for 30-Day Ceasefire Amid Renewed Diplomatic Push
Top European leaders arrived in Kyiv on Saturday in a powerful demonstration of unity and support for Ukraine, just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted world allies at a lavish Victory Day parade in Moscow.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk traveled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discuss steps toward a ceasefire.
A Joint Appeal for an Immediate Armistice
As reported by Digi24, the leaders issued a rare joint statement urging Russia to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create space for negotiations on a “just and lasting peace.”
“We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine and intensify pressure on Russia’s war machine until it agrees to a sustainable ceasefire,” they declared.
The visit, marking the first time leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland have jointly traveled to Ukraine, also signals a coordinated response to Putin’s display of military power, which included Chinese President Xi Jinping and 20 other international leaders in Red Square.
Diplomacy Amid Escalating War and Tense U.S. Relations
The visit comes at a delicate moment. U.S. President Donald Trump has recently pushed for a rapid resolution to the conflict but has expressed growing frustration over Moscow’s delays in agreeing to a ceasefire.
After initial tensions and a temporary pause in military aid to Ukraine, the Trump administration has since resumed talks and even signed a critical minerals deal with Kyiv.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged Moscow’s openness to a 30-day ceasefire, though he cautioned that it must include a careful examination of “nuances.”
Meanwhile, European ministers have also voiced support for the creation of a special tribunal to prosecute Putin and top Russian officials for crimes of aggression. On Thursday, Zelenskyy sharply criticized Putin’s Victory Day parade as a “parade of lies.”
This high-profile European visit underlines the West’s strategic solidarity with Ukraine and signals to Moscow that, despite the Kremlin’s efforts to project strength, Ukraine remains at the center of international support.