The British, French, German and Polish leaders are scheduled to make their first joint visit to Kiev on Saturday to highlight their support for Ukraine and to strengthen their calls to Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire.
During a trip to showcase European unity, French President Emmanuel Macron, new German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz, and British and Polish Prime Minister Kiel Starmer and Donald Tass are expected to speak to Ukrainian President Volodimia Zelensky.
The visit to Ukraine was Merz's first visit as German Prime Minister, and the first time that leaders of four European countries have traveled together to Ukrainian soil.
It also aims to place Russia in Moscow in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany, one day after Russian President Vladimir V. Putin welcomed China and Brazilian presidents to other international officials.
Prior to the visit, four European countries expressed support for President Trump's first call in March for a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine agreed to Trump's proposal, but Russia instead pushed to negotiate terms of settlement before suspending hostilities.
“We call on Russia to support President Trump's request for a peace agreement and to stop it from thwarting efforts to ensure lasting peace,” the four countries said in a joint statement issued late Friday. “Along with the United States, we call on Russia to agree to a complete and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, creating a space for consultations on just and lasting peace.”
The latest European initiative came after Trump said Thursday that if the US does not accept an extended ceasefire, it would impose sanctions on Russia.
According to the four leaders, the purpose of the trip was to show “solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's wild and illegal full-scale invasion.” They added: “Ukraine must be able to thrive as a safe, secure and sovereign state within internationally recognized borders for future generations.”
The leaders are also planning to hold virtual meetings with other Western government heads to update them with plans promoted by Macron and Sterner, in order to try to create a “ambitious coalition” to secure Ukraine in the case of peace cooperation with Russia.
Despite their show of unity, these consultations on building a coalition of willingness had no indication of an imminent peace agreement or of uncertainty as to what role European countries could play in it, if they were.
The debate includes the possibility of a limited deployment of Western troops into Ukraine, but many countries do not want to make a clear commitment without knowing the terms of the peace agreement. Starmer says he is willing to send British troops to Ukraine, but only if the US provides security guards can Trump show few signs of promise.
In their statement, four European countries said the consultations are currently focusing on “future coalitions of air, land, maritime and regenerative forces that will help regenerate Ukrainian troops after the peace agreement and strengthen trust in future peace.”
The Europeans said they are “ready to support peace negotiations as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and to prepare for a full peace agreement.”
“We need this coalition,” Zelensky said at an online address to a meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force Member States in Oslo on Friday.
“Moscow should embrace a ceasefire,” he said, “Because that is the only way that real peace begins.”
