A full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. This agreement was reached during the first meeting of the leaders of United Europe in Ukraine, reaffirmed at the Coalition of the Willing leaders’ summit in Kyiv, and coordinated with President of the United States Donald Trump.
Following the Coalition of the Willing leaders’ meeting, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer, Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz, and Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk announced the results at a joint press conference.
“We all have just spoken with President Trump, and we agreed on our shared vision and our further actions. A full and unconditional ceasefire is urgently needed. Accountability for any refusal is essential. Under such a ceasefire, we will be able to jointly agree on the foundations for peace,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted.
An unconditional ceasefire means that no conditions are attached, and any attempt to impose conditions indicates an intention to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy.
“Putin didn’t need conditions when he wanted a ceasefire to have a parade, and he doesn’t need them now. Ukraine has shown the willingness to engage again and again, but again and again, Putin has refused. So we are clear, all five leaders here, all the leaders of the meeting we just had with the Coalition of the Willing, an unconditional ceasefire,” said Keir Starmer.
If Russia rejects the ceasefire, sanctions will be imposed on its energy sector and banking system.
“Preparations for those sanctions are already underway and being coordinated between the Americans and the Europeans,” Emmanuel Macron emphasized.
During the meeting, the leaders also agreed that strengthening Ukraine’s Defense and Security Forces remains a clear priority as the main guarantee of Ukraine's sovereignty. A support contingent must also become a key component of the security guarantees. Strengthening the Ukrainian Armed Forces includes financing its defense capabilities and investing in weapons production in Ukraine, across European countries, and in joint industrial projects.
“We have discussed what the next steps toward a real peace might look like. The next step must go beyond just a ceasefire,” Friedrich Merz stressed.
In addition, the leaders agreed to continue efforts to ensure the effective use of frozen Russian assets and to raise the issue as a separate agenda item at the upcoming G7 Summit.
“For the first time in a long while, we had a feeling that the entire free world was united. And these are not slogans, but decisions we have taken,” Donald Tusk concluded.
