https://arab.news/6h8qa
- Four countries said in joint statement they were 鈥渞eady to support peace talks as soon as possible.鈥�
KYIV: The leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Poland were in Ukraine on Saturday for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, vowing to ratchet up pressure on Russia until it agreed a ceasefire in the three-year war.
The four countries, part of an alliance Britain and France have called 鈥渢he coalition of the willing,鈥� said in a joint statement they were 鈥渞eady to support peace talks as soon as possible.鈥�
The Kremlin has shown no signs of halting its invasion of Ukraine, despite US President Donald Trump pushing for a ceasefire, and warned earlier there could be no truce unless the West halted arms deliveries to Kyiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a 30-day truce proposed by Washington and Kyiv in March, instead declaring two brief pauses in fighting that Ukraine has accused Moscow of violating.
On his way to Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron said that once a 30-day ceasefire was in place, there could be 鈥渄irect talks between Ukraine and Russia.鈥�
Both Moscow and Kyiv have hinted they are open to negotiating with each other but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says this would only be possible once a ceasefire takes effect.
Russia has occupied about a fifth of Ukrainian territory since February 2022 and intensified deadly attacks on the country this spring.
The US embassy in Kyiv said on Friday that a 鈥渟ignificant air attack鈥� could occur at some point within the next several days.
Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived together by train from neighboring Poland, where they joined Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
It is the first time the leaders of the four European nations have made a joint visit to Ukraine.
They were seen embracing Zelensky and joined him in placing lanterns at a memorial for fallen soldiers in central Kyiv.
For Merz, who took office only this week, it will be his first visit to Ukraine as chancellor.
Macron had not been to Kyiv since June 2022, when he went with the Italian and German leaders of the time.
鈥淲e are clear the bloodshed must end. Russia must stop its illegal invasion,鈥� the leaders said in a joint statement.
鈥淎longside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.鈥�
They warned: 鈥淲e will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia鈥檚 war machine.鈥�
They are later scheduled to host a virtual meeting to update other European leaders on moves to create a European force that could provide Ukraine with security after the war.
Such a force 鈥渨ould help regenerate Ukraine鈥檚 armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace,鈥� the leaders鈥� statement said.
Russia has said it will not tolerate any Western military presence in Ukraine once the fighting ends and has warned the proposal could spark war between Moscow and NATO.
PUTIN VICTORY PARADE
The symbolic show of European unity comes a day after Putin struck a defiant tone at a Moscow parade marking 80 years since victory in World War II.
In an interview with the ABC news channel on Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said arms deliveries from Ukraine鈥檚 allies would have to stop before Russia would agree to a ceasefire.
A truce would otherwise be an 鈥渁dvantage for Ukraine鈥� at a time when 鈥淩ussian troops are advancing... in quite a confident way鈥� on the front, Peskov said, adding that Ukraine was 鈥渘ot ready for immediate negotiations.鈥�
Europe and Ukraine argue more pressure is needed on Russia to respond.
After meeting Tusk in France on Friday, Macron called for the speedy drafting of a US-Europe plan for the 30-day truce that would be backed by 鈥渕assive economic sanctions鈥� if one side 鈥渂etrays it.鈥�
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said at a meeting on Ukraine in Norway on Friday that the 鈥淯nited States has two sanctions packages on the table鈥� and that countries were discussing action in the 鈥渂anking and the energy sector.鈥�
A French presidential official, who asked not to be named, said the visit just four days after Merz took office 鈥渄emonstrates Europe鈥檚 unity, strength, and responsiveness. And it mirrors Putin鈥檚 celebrations.鈥�