European Leaders Rally in Kyiv, Demand Russia Accept 30-Day Ceasefire

Evgeniy Maloletka / AP

The leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland traveled together to Kyiv on Saturday, urging Russia to accept an immediate and unconditional 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine.

The joint visit, the first of its kind since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than three years ago, underscored a renewed diplomatic push to halt the ongoing conflict and open space for substantive peace negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the European leaders at Kyiv’s main railway station before convening for talks focused on the ceasefire proposal.

The plan, initially floated by U.S. President Donald Trump, calls for a complete cessation of hostilities on land, air, and sea starting Monday.

Trump has thrown his support behind the European effort, warning Moscow that failure to comply would trigger a new wave of coordinated Western sanctions and increased military support for Kyiv.

The summit in Kyiv came just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a military parade in Moscow, signaling defiance amid Western pressure. European officials described their visit as both symbolic and practical, emphasizing their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.

“The bloodshed must cease, Russia must halt its unlawful invasion, and Ukraine should be able to thrive as a safe, secure, and sovereign nation within its internationally recognized borders for generations to come,” the leaders said in a joint statement.

Despite the unified front, the Kremlin has so far resisted the ceasefire proposal. Russian officials insist that Western military support for Ukraine must end before any truce can be considered, arguing that an unconditional pause would give Kyiv a battlefield advantage. “We have to think this through. But trying to pressure us is quite useless,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, dismissing Western demands as confrontational.

Meanwhile, violence continues across Ukraine. Reports from the Sumy, Donetsk, and Kherson regions detail ongoing Russian attacks, civilian casualties, and widespread destruction, even as Moscow claims to observe a temporary ceasefire to mark the anniversary of World War II’s end.

The European leaders’ visit also served to coordinate future security guarantees for Ukraine, including the potential deployment of European forces to reinforce any eventual peace agreement.