European leaders meet Zelenskiy in Kyiv to discuss 30-day ceasefire proposal
European leaders met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks in Kyiv on Saturday to discuss a 30-day ceasefire proposal between Russia and Ukraine, with sanctions to be imposed on Moscow if it refuses, according to Reuters news agency.
“Alongside the U.S., 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,” the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland said in a joint statement.
U.S. President Donald Trump was asked on Friday what his message to Russian President Vladimir Putin is in the wake of a warning from the U.S. embassy in Kyiv about a “potentially significant” air attack in the coming days.
“I have a message for both parties: Get this war ended,” Trump said. “Get this stupid war finished. That’s my message for both of them,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The embassy said on its website that it had received information about an air attack that may occur at any time over the next several days.
“The Embassy, as always, recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced,” it said.
The White House said Trump had a “very good and productive” call with Zelenskiy on Thursday and that Trump hopes both Ukraine and Russia will agree next week to the proposed 30-day ceasefire.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, speaking to reporters at a briefing on Friday, also reiterated that a Trump meeting with Putin next week in the Middle East was not going to happen.
In Kyiv, Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said he spoke by telephone on Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials about the proposed ceasefire as part of moves towards a peace agreement.
“The main focus was the question of the ceasefire and prospects for a peace settlement,” Yermak wrote on Telegram, adding that U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg had also taken part. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov was also present.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia supported the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire, but only with due consideration of “nuances”.
In remarks to ABC that were aired on Saturday, Peskov suggested that Western military assistance for Ukraine would have to stop in order for a temporary ceasefire to happen.
On the other hand, the European leaders are expected to give a news conference and to host a virtual meeting with other leaders to update them on progress being made for a future coalition of an air, land and maritime force that would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal.
