Russia hit with new Ukraine war warning as world leaders meet in Kyiv to push for ceasefire

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Poland held phone talks with Donald Trump as Russia is under pressure to agree to a ceasefire.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Poland held phone talks with US President Donald Trump on Saturday after their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine’s foreign minister said.

“Following the Coalition of the Willing meeting in Kyiv, all five leaders had a fruitful call with (Trump) focused on peace efforts,” Andriy Sybiga said in a post on X.

The leaders were in Ukraine for talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, vowing to ratchet up pressure on Russia until it agreed a ceasefire in the three-year war.

The four countries, part of an alliance Britain and France have called “the coalition of the willing”, said in a joint statement they were “ready to support peace talks as soon as possible”.

The Kremlin has shown no signs of halting its invasion of Ukraine, despite US President Donald Trump pushing for a ceasefire, and warned earlier there could be no truce unless the West halted arms deliveries to Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected a 30-day truce proposed by Washington and Kyiv in March, instead declaring two brief pauses in fighting that Ukraine has accused Moscow of violating.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Maidan Square in Kyiv as European leaders meet in Ukraine for further talks on the so-called "coalition of the willing". Picture: AP

Russia will face much tougher sanctions if it refuses a 30-day ceasefire demanded by the West, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned.

If President Vladimir Putin does not agree to the truce, “there will be a massive hardening of sanctions and the massive aid to Ukraine will continue -- politically, of course, but also financially and militarily,” Merz said in an interview published on Saturday by the Bild daily.

“We agree with the US government, with Donald Trump. We are demanding a 30-day ceasefire so that peace negotiations can be prepared during this period,” he said.

“The ball is now in Putin’s court. Putin must respond to this offer.”

On his way to Kyiv, French President Emmanuel Macron said that once a 30-day ceasefire was in place, there could be “direct talks between Ukraine and Russia”.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have hinted they are open to negotiating with each other but President Zelensky says this would only be possible once a ceasefire takes effect.

Russia has occupied about a fifth of Ukrainian territory since February 2022 and intensified deadly attacks on the country this spring.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (centre right) with French President Emmanuel Macron (centre left) in Kyiv as European leaders meet in Ukraine for further talks on the so-called "coalition of the willing". Picture: Getty

The US embassy in Kyiv said on Friday that a “significant air attack” could occur at some point within the next several days.

Macron, Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived together by train from neighbouring Poland, where they joined Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

It is the first time the leaders of the four European nations have made a joint visit to Ukraine.

They were seen embracing Zelensky and joined him in placing lanterns at a memorial for fallen soldiers in central Kyiv.

For Merz, who took office only this week, it will be his first visit to Ukraine as chancellor.

Macron had not been to Kyiv since June 2022, when he went with the Italian and German leaders of the time.

“We are clear the bloodshed must end. Russia must stop its illegal invasion,” the leaders said in a joint statement.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, talks to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, 2nd right, as France's President Emmanuel Macron, 2nd left, and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz stand behind after a group photo at the Independence Square in Kyiv. Picture: AP

“Alongside the US, we call on Russia to agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace.” They warned: “We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine.” They are later scheduled to host a virtual meeting to update other European leaders on moves to create a European force that could provide Ukraine with security after the war.

Such a force “would help regenerate Ukraine’s armed forces after any peace deal and strengthen confidence in any future peace”, the leaders’ statement said.

Russia has said it will not tolerate any Western military presence in Ukraine once the fighting ends and has warned the proposal could spark war between Moscow and NATO.

The symbolic show of European unity comes a day after Putin struck a defiant tone at a Moscow parade marking 80 years since victory in World War II.

In an interview with the ABC news channel on Saturday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said arms deliveries from Ukraine’s allies would have to stop before Russia would agree to a ceasefire.

A truce would otherwise be an “advantage for Ukraine” at a time when “Russian troops are advancing... in quite a confident way” on the front, Peskov said, adding that Ukraine was “not ready for immediate negotiations”.