Russia-Ukraine war: Zelenskyy and EU leaders call for ceasefire by May 12, warn of coordinated retaliation

In a coordinated diplomatic push, the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Poland joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv to issue a firm ultimatum to the Kremlin: agree to an unconditional ceasefire by Monday or face intensified sanctions and a significant escalation in Western military support for Ukraine.

Prior to the announcement, the five leaders held a joint call with US President Donald Trump, underscoring transatlantic alignment on the matter.

The ultimatum follows a proposal by the United States in March for a 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine accepted. However, Russia has thus far declined, instead insisting on conditions that have been deemed unacceptable by Ukraine and its allies.

“All of us here, together with the US, are calling Putin out. If he’s serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it now,” said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during a joint press conference in Kyiv.

Starmer emphasised the leaders’ shared position: “an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putin’s conditions,” and added, “if he turns his back on peace, we will respond, working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions, and increase our military aid for Ukraine’s defence to pressure Russia back to the table.”

Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Kyiv by train on Saturday morning. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk traveled separately. The leaders convened with President Zelenskyy in central Kyiv for high-level discussions.

The visit marked Macron’s first to the Ukrainian capital since mid-2022 and was Merz’s inaugural visit as chancellor, following his recent appointment.

“All five leaders had a fruitful call with @POTUS focused on peace efforts,” wrote Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X, sharing an image of the leaders in conversation via speakerphone.

“Ukraine and all allies are ready for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday,” Sybiha stated. He added that should Russia agree and if effective monitoring is implemented, this could lead to broader peace negotiations.

The U.S. administration has echoed this sentiment, describing the 30-day ceasefire as a preliminary step toward a durable peace agreement. Ukraine has reiterated its readiness to begin implementation, while Russia maintains that any truce must be conditional upon the cessation of Western arms deliveries.

In a sign of likely resistance from Moscow, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev responded harshly on X: “Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk were supposed to discuss peace in Kiev. Instead, they are blurting out threats against Russia … You think that’s smart, eh? Shove these peace plans up your pangender arses.”

President Zelenskyy confirmed the group’s consensus, stating, “We agreed on Monday, 12 May there must start an unconditional ceasefire.” He said the ceasefire must apply to land, sea, and air operations, and warned that any refusal from Moscow would prompt new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy and banking sectors, according to Reuters.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated limited support for the idea, noting that Russia is open to a ceasefire but “with due consideration of nuances.”