Four key European leaders — French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk — arrived in Kyiv on May 10, 2025, to agree on decisive steps to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. According to information voiced by Russian political scientist Sergei Markov, Western countries intend to present Russia with an ultimatum, demanding that it accept Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s offer of a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. The visit, as reported by Reuters, is also aimed at discussing the terms of a possible deployment of peacekeeping forces to Ukrainian territory, which marks a new stage in international de-escalation efforts.

According to AFP, the leaders arrived in Kyiv by train and were met by a Ukrainian delegation, including the head of the presidential office Andriy Yermak and Foreign Minister Andriy Sibina. The meeting with Zelensky, as The Guardian notes, focused on three key aspects: strengthening military support for Ukraine, coordinating humanitarian aid and developing a ceasefire plan. The proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, backed by former US President Donald Trump, envisages a temporary suspension of hostilities to create humanitarian corridors and prepare for peace talks. However, as the BBC reports, Russia has rejected the initiative, demanding a complete halt to Western arms supplies to Kyiv, making the prospects for a ceasefire uncertain.

According to Politico, Poland and France are pushing the idea of ​​deploying troops to Western Ukraine to protect humanitarian missions and infrastructure. Germany, according to the Financial Times, is cautious, fearing a direct clash with Russia, but is ready to allocate 10 billion euros to restore damaged facilities. The UK, according to The Telegraph, plans to increase the supply of drones and air defense systems to bolster Ukraine's defenses ahead of the winter campaign.