Vladimir Putin rejects ceasefire ultimatum proposed by European leaders | Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has rejected an ultimatum by European leaders to conform to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face elevated sanctions, however has proposed holding direct negotiations with Kyiv this week.

The leaders of Britain, France, Ge. rmany and Poland informed the Russian president both to enroll to an unconditional ceasefire by Monday or face elevated sanctions and weapons transfers to Ukraine.

“All of us right here, along with the US, are calling Putin out. If he’s critical about peace, then he has an opportunity to point out it now,” mentioned UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, at a joint press convention of the 5 leaders in Kyiv.

Starmer mentioned the leaders had been demanding “an unconditional ceasefire, rejecting Putin’s situations, and [are] clear that if he turns his again on peace, we are going to reply, working with President Trump, with all our companions, we are going to ramp up sanctions, and enhance our army support for Ukraine’s defence to stress Russia again to the desk.”

Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz arrived within the Ukrainian capital on the identical prepare on Saturday morning, whereas Donald Tusk travelled on a separate prepare. The leaders met Zelenskyy for talks in central Kyiv. It’s Macron’s first go to to Kyiv since summer season 2022, and the primary go to for Merz as chancellor, having solely taken workplace this week.

“All 5 leaders had a fruitful name with @POTUS targeted on peace efforts,” Ukraine’s international minister, Andrii Sybiha, wrote on X, including an image of the 5 males gathered round a cell phone on speaker mode.

Sybiha added: “Ukraine and all allies are prepared for a full unconditional ceasefire on land, air, and at sea for not less than 30 days beginning already on Monday. If Russia agrees and efficient monitoring is ensured, a sturdy ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way in which to peace negotiations.”

Russia’s response to the ultimatum got here in a press briefing for Russian media and western tv networks, held within the Kremlin near 2am native time on Sunday morning. Putin rejected the requires a ceasefire, however mentioned he was prepared for direct negotiations with Ukraine.

He recommended delegations from the 2 international locations might meet in Istanbul this Thursday to start talks. “We don’t exclude that in these negotiations we can agree on new ceasefires,” mentioned Putin.

Ukraine and European capitals have beforehand demanded a full ceasefire as a precondition to beginning negotiations. Putin left the briefing, for which journalists had been stored ready for as much as seven hours, with out answering any questions.

There was no rapid readout from the White Home on the decision, or on whether or not Trump had made particular commitments if Putin rejects the ceasefire.

Trump and the US administration have mentioned a 30-day ceasefire could possibly be step one on the way in which to a sustainable peace deal. Ukraine has mentioned it is able to implement such a ceasefire, however Russia has to date refused, saying it could solely achieve this if all western weapons deliveries to Ukraine had been halted.

In an early signal that Russia is probably not receptive to the most recent ultimatum, the hawkish former president, Dmitry Medvedev, wrote on X: “Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk had been supposed to debate peace in Kyiv. As a substitute, they’re blurting out threats in opposition to Russia … You assume that’s good, eh? Shove these peace plans up your pangender arses.”

As a substitute, Moscow unilaterally declared a three-day ceasefire starting on 8 Could, which Kyiv mentioned was designed to keep away from Ukrainian drone assaults on Russia throughout celebrations of 80 years of the Soviet victory within the second world battle, held in Moscow on Friday.

1000’s of troops marched via Crimson Sq. for the annual Victory Day parade, with quite a few world leaders in attendance, most notably China’s Xi Jinping, and the Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Robert Fico and Aleksandar Vučić, the prime minister of EU member Slovakia and the president of EU hopeful Serbia, respectively, additionally attended the parade, drawing irritation from different European leaders.

Preventing has continued alongside the frontlines through the supposed ceasefire, each side have mentioned, however Russia has largely shunned drone and missile assaults on Ukraine.

“Putin didn’t want situations when he wished a ceasefire to have a parade, and he doesn’t want them now. Ukraine has proven the willingness to interact repeatedly, however repeatedly Putin has refused,” mentioned Starmer.

Starmer mentioned Putin had drawn the fallacious classes from the second world battle. “We perceive the teachings of historical past, the lesson that any veteran of Normandy or north Africa or of some other marketing campaign will inform you, however that Putin has not but grasped. There isn’t a glory in aggression and conquest, glory comes from preventing in your nation, defending the individuals, and profitable the peace,” he mentioned.

Macron additionally referenced VE Day, and mentioned that “the defence of the ideas on which our continent and, extra typically, the worldwide order is predicated” was at stake within the battle in Ukraine.

The 4 European leaders visited Kyiv’s Maidan on Saturday morning with Zelenskyy and his spouse, Olena Zelenska. 1000’s of flags have been erected within the central sq. to recollect these killed within the battle with Russia. The leaders paid their respects and had a second of silence, earlier than heading to the talks with Zelenskyy. The 5 then had a digital assembly with different leaders on progress being made for a so-called “air, land, maritime and regeneration power” that’s deliberate to be a part of a peace deal.

Trump has but to remark publicly on his dialog with the group of leaders. On Friday, he was requested by reporters within the Oval Workplace if he had a message for Putin. “I’ve a message for each events: get this battle ended,” he mentioned, including: “Get this silly battle completed. That’s my message for each of them.”

The Trump administration has to date seemed to be a lot more durable on Kyiv than Moscow, however there are some small alerts that the temper in Washington is perhaps altering, after a constructive assembly between Trump and Zelenskyy within the Vatican on the sidelines of the pope’s funeral.

Even the vice-president, JD Vance, seen as probably the most sceptical of voices on assist for Ukraine, has criticised Moscow’s stance in latest days. “Proper now, the Russians are asking for a sure set of necessities, a sure set of concessions in an effort to finish the battle. We predict they’re asking for an excessive amount of,” he mentioned this week.

The US embassy in Kyiv put out a public warning late on Friday night time that it had acquired intelligence of a “doubtlessly important air assault that will happen at any time over the following a number of days”. It didn’t give additional particulars, however it later emerged that Russia will shut its airspace over the Kapustin Yar missile testing vary on Monday and Tuesday, which might point out the potential launch of ballistic missiles.