Ukraine war: EU pushes for 30-day ceasefire

From left to right; Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron, Voloydmyr Zelensky, Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk. Pic/PTI

Ukraine and its allies are ready for a "full, unconditional ceasefire" with Russia for at least 30 days starting Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Saturday.

His remarks came as the leaders of four major European countries visited Kyiv to push for Moscow to agree to a truce and launch peace talks on ending the nearly three-year war.

They followed what Sybiha said was a "constructive" phone call between them, US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky. Saturday also marked the last day of a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Russia that Ukraine says the Kremlin's forces have repeatedly violated.

The leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom arrived together at the train station in Kyiv, and met Zelensky shortly after to join a ceremony at Kyiv's Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

"We reiterate our backing for President Trump's calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace," the leaders said in a joint statement.

Trump has pressed both sides to quickly come to an agreement to end the war. While Zelensky agreed to the plan, Russia has not signed on yet.

Instead, it has kept up attacks along the roughly 1600-kilometre front line, including deadly strikes on residential areas with no obvious military targets.

On Saturday morning, local officials in Ukraine's northern Sumy region said Russian shelling over the past day killed three residents and wounded four more.

Speaking to reporters in Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron said: "What's happening with Poland, Germany and Great Britain is a historic moment for European defence and toward a greater independence for our security. Obviously, for Ukraine and all of us. It's a new era. It's a Europe that sees itself as a power."

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