Ukraine, European leaders in Kyiv urge Moscow to agree to 'unconditional' ceasefire

The Associated Press

· Posted: May 10, 2025 11:22 AM EDT | Last Updated: 17 minutes ago

Ukraine and its allies are acceptable for a "full, unconditional ceasefire" with Russia for astatine slightest 30 days starting connected Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Saturday.

His remarks came arsenic the leaders of 4 large European countries visited Kyiv, amid a propulsion for Moscow to hold to a truce and motorboat bid talks connected ending the astir three-year war. They followed what Sybiha said was a "constructive" telephone telephone betwixt them, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Saturday is also the past time of a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia. Ukraine accuses the Kremlin's forces of repeatedly violating the ceasefire.

In March, the United States projected an immediate, constricted 30-day truce, which Ukraine accepted, but the Kremlin has reportedly held retired for amended terms.

The 4 European leaders arrived unneurotic Saturday astatine the bid presumption successful Kyiv and met Zelenskyy soon aft to articulation an Independence Square ceremonial marking the 80th day of the extremity of the Second World War. They lit candles astatine a makeshift emblem memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and civilians slain since Russia's penetration connected Feb. 24, 2022.

It's the archetypal clip the heads of the 4 European countries person travelled unneurotic to Ukraine. For Friedrich Merz, it's his first sojourn to Ukraine arsenic Germany's caller chancellor.

"We reiterate our backing for President Trump's calls for a bid woody and telephone connected Russia to halt obstructing efforts to unafraid an enduring peace," the leaders said successful a associated statement.

"Alongside the U.S., we telephone connected Russia to hold [to] a afloat and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to make the abstraction for talks connected a conscionable and lasting peace."

Russia has kept up attacks on the astir 1,600-kilometre front line, including deadly strikes connected residential areas.

On Thursday, Sybiha called the three-day ceasefire declared by Russia a "farce," accusing Russian forces of violating it much than 700 times wrong a time of it formally coming into effect. The aforesaid day, some sides besides said attacks connected their troops had continued.

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On Saturday morning, section officials successful Ukraine's bluish Sumy portion said Russian shelling implicit the past time killed 3 residents and wounded 4 more. Another civilian antheral died connected Saturday arsenic a Russian drone struck the confederate metropolis of Kherson, according to determination Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin.

Speaking to reporters successful Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron said: "What's happening with Poland, Germany and Great Britain is simply a historical infinitesimal for European defence and toward a greater independency for our security. Obviously, for Ukraine and each of us. It's a caller era. It's a Europe that sees itself arsenic a power."

Trump said past week that helium doubts Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to extremity his warfare successful Ukraine, expressing caller skepticism that a bid woody could beryllium reached soon, and hinted astatine further sanctions against Russia.

Progress connected ending the warfare has seemed elusive successful the months since Trump returned to the White House, and his erstwhile claims of imminent breakthroughs person failed to travel to fruition. The U.S. president has antecedently pushed Ukraine to cede territory to Russia to extremity the war, threatening to locomotion distant if a woody becomes excessively difficult.

Ukraine's European allies presumption an extremity to the warfare arsenic cardinal to the continent's security, and unit is present mounting to find ways to enactment Kyiv militarily, careless of whether Trump pulls out.

Ukrainian statesmanlike adjutant Andrii Yermak, who met the European leaders astatine Kyiv's main bid station, wrote connected the Telegram messaging level earlier connected Saturday: "There is simply a batch of work, a batch of topics to discuss. We request to extremity this warfare with a conscionable peace. We request to unit Moscow to hold to a ceasefire."

Later successful the day, the leaders began hosting a virtual gathering alongside Zelenskyy to update different leaders connected the advancement being made for a aboriginal alleged "coalition of the willing" that would assistance Ukraine's equipped forces aft a bid woody and perchance deploy troops to Ukraine to constabulary immoderate aboriginal bid statement with Russia.