Keir Starmer joins world leaders in Ukraine to call for ceasefire

Henry Zeffman

Chief political correspondent, travelling with the prime minister

Reuters Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer wearing a black zip-up jacket sits at a wooden table with French President Emanuel Macron, in white shirt and hoodie, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in blue jumper and shirt, on board a train to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv where all three will hold meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — Sir Keir Starmer, President Macron and Friedrich Merz held a meeting on the train to Kyiv

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Ukraine where he will join fellow world leaders to put pressure on Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire in the war.

Sir Keir travelled by train with President Emmanuel Macron of France and Friedrich Merz, who is making his first trip to Ukraine since becoming Germany’s chancellor this week.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is joining them in Kyiv. It is Sir Keir’s second visit to Ukraine as prime minister.

He and the other leaders are using the visit to urge Russia to “agree a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire” – a proposal initially made by US President Donald Trump.

The leaders’ decision to travel to Kyiv together is a deliberately symbolic response to the more than 20 leaders who joined President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for Russia’s Victory Day commemorations on Friday.

The leaders also vowed to “ratchet up pressure on Russia’s war machine”.

During the visit, the four leaders will join President Volodymyr Zelensky for a virtual meeting of the “coalition of the willing” – the group of around 30 mainly European nations seeking ways to entrench Ukraine’s security if a peace deal with Russia is agreed.

They will also pay their respects to Ukrainian soldiers killed in action since Russia’s full-scale invasion more than three years ago.

In a statement released before their arrival, the leaders said: “We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom will stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion.

“We reiterate our backing for President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace.

“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.

“We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal.

“We are clear the bloodshed must end, Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognised borders for generations to come.

“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.”

Russia announced it would mark World War Two Victory Day with a unilateral, three-day ceasefire, which Ukraine rejected as a “theatrical show”.

Kyiv has described the truce as a farce, accusing Russia of launching thousands of attacks since it came into force at midnight on Wednesday. Russia says it has observed the ceasefire and accuses Ukraine of hundreds of violations.

German Chancellor Merz said he had high hopes that a full ceasefire could be agreed as soon as this weekend.

Russia’s three-day truce is set to end on Saturday night, but Merz said it could be extended to 30 days and the “ball is now entirely in Moscow’s court”.

Trump reiterated the call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire after a phone call with Zelensky.

“If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions,” Trump posted on Truth Social.