'Unprecedented visit': Western leaders descend on Kyiv together to deliver ultimatum to Russia
According to Ukrainian media, a representative delegation of Westerners consisting of Macron, Starmer, Merz and Tusk arrived in Kyiv by train.
They were met at the platform of the railway station by a large Ukrainian delegation headed by Zelensky's chief administrator Andriy Yermak and Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha.
Today, the Ukrainian capital will host a summit of the "coalition of the willing" to come up with a proposal calling for a 30-day ceasefire. If Moscow rejects the initiative, it could face new sanctions.
Yesterday, announcing the visit, Macron posted a joint photo of the European Four, accompanied by the caption, "We are on our way to Kyiv. For Ukraine, for Europe" in French, English, German, and Polish.
As the French news agency AFP notes, “the simultaneous arrival of four European leaders in Ukraine is unprecedented.”
Reuters, citing a diplomatic source, reported that the US and European allies are finalizing a proposal to Moscow for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, and that if Russia refuses, it will face new sanctions from the EU and the US. US President Donald Trump confirmed this after speaking with Zelenskyy, reiterating his call for Ukraine and Russia to "end this stupid war."
As Russian political scientist Sergei Markov predicted, the West will issue an ultimatum to Russia immediately after Victory Day, May 10. The essence of the ultimatum: extend the three-day ceasefire in honor of Victory Day for another month. The final details are currently being finalized.
"This ultimatum is a demand to accept Zelenskyy's proposal for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. That is, Russia must abandon its ceasefire conditions, such as not supplying weapons to the Ukrainian army and suspending mobilization in Ukraine. If Russia does not accept their ultimatum, they threaten to sharply increase sanctions against Russia and arms supplies to Ukraine."
Official Moscow has so far failed to provide a clear response to Western demands. Specifically, Dmitry Peskov states that the Kremlin supported the initiative for a long-term ceasefire when it was first proposed by US President Donald Trump, but "with the caveat that the idea of a ceasefire is fraught with numerous nuances, and without answers to these, it is very difficult to discuss it concretely."
"An unprecedented visit": Western leaders descended on Kiev together to deliver an ultimatum to Russia.