Kyiv, Ukraine – The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Poland gathered in Kyiv on Saturday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, presenting a united front just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his allies at Moscow’s Victory Day parade in Red Square.
At the center of the summit is a joint U.S.-European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine. A French diplomatic source noted that while the proposal hasn’t been finalized, failure by Moscow to agree could trigger fresh coordinated sanctions.
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The visit marks the first time British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have jointly traveled to Ukraine.
In a joint statement, the four leaders urged Russia to accept a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, calling it a necessary step toward meaningful peace negotiations. As their train—dubbed the “Bravery Express”—arrived in Kyiv, Zelenskiy welcomed them and accompanied them to a memorial honoring fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
The meeting takes place at a volatile moment in the conflict, now in its fourth year. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has reversed many of his predecessor’s policies since taking office in January, is pressing for a swift resolution. After a rocky start—including clashes with Zelenskiy and a brief suspension of military aid—Trump’s administration has repaired relations with Kyiv and signed a hard-won mineral resources agreement.
Trump has expressed growing impatience with Moscow’s reluctance to move toward a ceasefire. He has threatened stronger sanctions while cautioning that he could abandon peace efforts if there’s no progress. Both Trump and the EU have echoed the call for a 30-day ceasefire, with Zelenskiy stating he’s prepared to implement it immediately.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia supports the idea “in principle,” but insisted on unspecified “nuances.” In a Saturday interview with ABC, Peskov suggested that Western military support for Ukraine would need to end in order for a ceasefire to be fair, calling it otherwise an “advantage for Ukraine.”
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Western military aid has been crucial to Ukraine’s defense.
On Friday, Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders at a parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s WWII victory, signaling defiance and a rejection of isolation. Meanwhile, European officials reiterated support for establishing a special tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders for crimes of aggression. Zelenskiy condemned Putin’s event as a “parade of bile and lies.”
On the eve of the summit, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv warned of a potentially significant Russian air assault, advising Americans to be prepared to seek shelter if sirens sound.
“There’s much to discuss—we need a just peace, and we must push Moscow toward a ceasefire,” said Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, sharing photos of the leaders arriving in Kyiv.
The summit is expected to culminate in a joint press conference and a virtual session with other allied leaders to outline plans for a postwar coalition involving air, land, and sea forces to help rebuild Ukraine’s military.
This diplomatic push comes as Putin’s May 8–10 ceasefire—rejected by Ukraine as a sham—draws to a close. Both sides have accused each other of violations. Reuters journalists at a frontline field hospital in the Zaporizhzhia region witnessed soldiers arriving with injuries sustained during the declared truce.
“There’s been no ceasefire. Shelling, drones, and bombing have continued as usual,” said a wounded soldier, Stanislav.
Zelenskiy said in a Thursday call with Trump that agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire would be a “true sign” of progress toward peace.
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