"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
The announcement follows mounting fears that the two nuclear-armed countries were on the brink of engaging in another full-scale war.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
The visit marks Merz’s first trip to Ukraine, and the first time all four leaders have travelled there together.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
"As in the past, it is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," the EU's statement reads.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News on May 10 that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.
"Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights," North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said. "I regard this as part of the sacred mission we must execute for our brothers and comrades-in-arms."
The number includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Russia says it will not take part in follow-up peace summit
Russia has announced it will not participate in any future iterations of the Swiss-hosted peace summit held in June, labeling the process a "fraud," Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sept. 21.
Moscow was not invited to the June summit attended by over 90 countries, dismissed the discussions as irrelevant without its involvement. President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, has expressed hope for a follow-up meeting by the end of the year, with the goal of including Russia.
Zakharova criticized the summit on Telegram, saying: "This process itself has nothing to do with a settlement. It is another manifestation of fraud by the Anglo-Saxons and their Ukrainian puppets." She emphasized that Russia is open to considering "truly serious proposals" that acknowledge the "situation on the ground," a vague reference to Russia’s annexation of four Ukrainian regions, none of which it fully controls.
Zakharova accused Ukraine and its Western allies of having no interest in pursuing peace, referencing Ukraine's recent incursion into Russia's southern Kursk region and Zelensky's continued requests for long-range Western weapons. She said that Ukraine and its Western backers "were not thinking about peace."
Ahead of the June summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin had outlined conditions for negotiations, which included Kyiv's surrender of the four oblasts that Moscow now claims. Russia has since said it won't engage in talks as long as Ukrainian forces remain in the Kursk region.
Zelensky has a plan on how to end Russia’s war with Ukraine’s victory. Kyiv remains tight-lipped about the specifics of the plan as Zelensky readies to present it to U.S. President Joe Biden and American presidential candidates during his upcoming visit. The plan is expected to cover military, political, diplomatic, and economic strategies.
Dinara Khalilova
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