European leaders to meet Zelenskyy in rare show of unity since start of Ukraine war

For the first time since Russia invaded Ukraine over three years ago, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom will make a joint visit to Kyiv. French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK prime minister Keir Starmer and Polish prime minister Donald Tusk are expected to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday.

The visit is seen as a strong message of European unity. It comes just a day after Russian president Vladimir Putin celebrated Victory Day with military pomp in Moscow and repeated his hardline stance on Ukraine.

The joint statement by the four European leaders calls for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, echoing US president Donald Trump’s proposal. They warned that if Russia does not agree, support for Ukraine will only increase. “We will ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine,” the leaders said.

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Putin has not yet responded to the ceasefire calls. Trump has indicated that Ukraine may have to consider giving up territory but expressed frustration over Russia’s refusal to halt the war.

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions are simmering within Europe. Slovakia’s prime minister attended the Moscow parade, while Ukraine and Hungary expelled each other’s diplomats over espionage claims.