Ukraine and its allies said Saturday they are ready for a "full, unconditional ceasefire" with Russia starting Monday, calling on Moscow to accept a 30-day truce aimed at launching peace negotiations to end the nearly three-year war. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha made the announcement as the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom arrived in Kyiv for a joint visit to press for an end to hostilities. Their trip marked the first time all four European leaders had traveled together to Ukraine. Sybiha said the ceasefire proposal follows what he described as a "constructive" phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The effort builds on a U.S.-backed plan first proposed in March, which Kyiv had accepted, but which Russia has yet to endorse. Saturday was also the final day of a unilateral three-day ceasefire declared by Moscow—a truce Ukraine said was violated more than 700 times within the first 24 hours. At a joint ceremony at Kyiv's Independence Square marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the visiting leaders lit candles at a memorial honoring Ukrainian soldiers and civilians killed since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. Germany's newly appointed chancellor, Friedrich Merz, made his first visit to Ukraine during the trip. In a joint statement, the four European leaders said, "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. Alongside the U.S., we call on Russia to agree to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace." Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, said the proposed ceasefire would be "comprehensive," covering air, land, and sea operations as well as infrastructure attacks. "This will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II," Kellogg said Saturday. Despite ongoing U.S. and European pressure, the Kremlin has yet to formally agree to the proposal. Russian forces have continued strikes along the 1,000-mile front line, including attacks on residential areas without clear military targets. In Ukraine's northern Sumy region, local officials reported that Russian shelling killed three civilians and wounded four others over the past day. A separate drone attack in the southern city of Kherson on Saturday killed one civilian, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin. At a press conference in Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron described the joint visit as "a historic moment for European defense and a new era for our continent's security." He added that it reflected a more independent and powerful European role in regional stability. While Ukraine has supported the U.S. initiative, Trump last week expressed doubts over Russian President Vladimir Putin's willingness to end the war and hinted that further sanctions could follow. He has also previously suggested Ukraine may need to cede territory to secure peace—an idea rejected by Ukrainian officials and many of its allies. Ukrainian presidential aide Andrii Yermak, who welcomed the European leaders at Kyiv's train station, emphasized the urgency of securing a truce. "We need to end this war with a just peace. We need to force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire," he wrote on Telegram. Later Saturday, the European leaders and Zelenskyy hosted a virtual meeting with other international officials to discuss the formation of a postwar "coalition of the willing" that could help support and monitor Ukraine's security after a future peace deal. — Agencies
