US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, joined European leaders in calling for a 30-day comprehensive ceasefire, marking the West’s most unified diplomatic effort since the start of Russia’s invasion.
European leaders gathered in Kyiv to advance the proposed ceasefire, which is set to begin Monday. The plan, coordinated during a phone call with President Trump, received unanimous backing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to implement the truce, pending effective monitoring.
Kellogg expressed support on X (formerly Twitter):
“A comprehensive (air, land, sea, infrastructure) ceasefire for 30 days will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since WWII. As @POTUS has said—stop the killing, now.”
Zelenskyy, hosting the summit in Kyiv, said the “coalition of the willing” is united in demanding a “full and unconditional ceasefire for at least 30 days.”
“We jointly demand this from Russia,” he said, after talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Following the summit, the leaders spoke with Trump. Zelenskyy reiterated that the ceasefire must start on 12 May:
“A full and unconditional ceasefire must begin. ‘Unconditional’ means without preconditions. The US supports us.”
Macron pushes peacekeepers, Merz open to Putin talks
Emmanuel Macron proposed a multinational peacekeeping force to support any future political settlement.
“Lasting peace requires real international security guarantees,” he said, adding that planning is underway with allies for a security contingent.
German Chancellor Merz said he’s willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin if it could help end the war.
“If needed, I’m willing to go far,” he said, while stressing that the immediate goal is to achieve a ceasefire by the weekend.
Russia has not yet responded to the new ceasefire proposal. A temporary three-day truce announced by Putin is set to expire Saturday.
Zelenskyy warned that if Moscow refuses, the West should escalate sanctions on Russia’s energy and banking sectors—a position supported by Macron.
