Accept 30-day truce by Monday or face sanctions: Kyiv’s allies to Russia

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 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 Zelenskyy.

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 Zelenskyy shortly after to join a ceremony at Kyiv’s Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. They lit candles at a makeshift flag memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers and civilians slain since Russia’s invasion.

The visit marked the first time the leaders of the four countries had travelled together to Ukraine, with Friedrich Merz making his first visit to Ukraine as Germany’s new chancellor.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen backed the proposed unconditional 30-day ceasefire and said that the EU was ready to impose more sanctions on Russia if a ceasefire is breached. “The ball is now in Russia’s court,” von der Leyen wrote on social media platform X.

Stop sending Western arms first: Moscow

Russia would require a halt to US and European arms supplies to Ukraine during any potential ceasefire, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with ABC News. “Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilisation, bringing new troops to (the) frontline,” Peskov said. “Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones. So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?” he added.