European leaders huddle in Kyiv for summit, push for 30-day ceasefire – Washington Examiner
European leaders from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland held a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, advocating for a 30-day ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The summit, part of a coalition aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s defense against Russia, proposed a ceasefire to commence on May 12, along with potential sanctions against Russia if it refuses compliance.Zelensky stated that the ceasefire should include air, sea, and land operations and may require monitoring to ensure adherence. He noted a constructive post-summit conversation with U.S. President Trump, who aligned with the ceasefire framework. As the peace talks enter a critical phase, with previous ceasefires being violated, there is uncertainty about Russia’s response to the proposal.
European leaders huddle in Kyiv for summit, push for 30-day ceasefire
Leaders of four European countries met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv for a summit earlier Saturday, during which they urged an “immediate, full, and unconditional” 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine war.
The leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland gathered in Ukraine’s capital city for a meeting of the “coalition of the willing,” a 31-member coalition designed to strengthen Ukraine’s defense against Russia in its over three-year war. They, along with the other nations joining the meeting remotely, agreed on a 30-day ceasefire proposal that would begin on May 12, threatening Russia with more sanctions on its banking and energy sectors if it does not comply.
Zelensky said the nations agreed that the ceasefire must be “comprehensive,” encompassing fighting in the air as well as on sea and land, while adding that it would likely require “monitoring” to ensure compliance and prevent violations, which could be done by the United States.
The Ukrainian president also revealed that they spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump after the summit, a conversation Zelensky called “positive and concrete.” He also said he is “grateful” for Trump, who has repeatedly pushed for a swift end to the war and a lasting ceasefire, but has been disgruntled with the lack of progress in peace talks.
Zelensky added that Trump agreed with their framework for the ceasefire proposal.
The Kyiv summit comes at a make-or-break moment for the peace talks that have been ongoing since the start of Trump’s second term. U.S. officials have signaled in recent weeks that they may step away from their role as mediator between Ukraine and Russia, citing a lack of progress. There have also been breaches of shorter ceasefires, such as the Easter weekend truce Russian President Vladimir Putin announced and that he reportedly violated nearly 3,000 times.
Still, earlier this week Vice President JD Vance emphasized he is “not yet a pessimist” about the peace talks, but stressed that Ukraine and Russia need to meet face-to-face in order to reach a deal.
Russia has not yet responded to the 30-day ceasefire proposal announced on Saturday.
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