"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 starts to chair UN Security Council in July, Ukraine not on agenda
Russia took over the presidency of the United Nations Security Council on July 1. Vasily Nebenzya, Russia's envoy to the U.N., said during a press briefing in New York that Ukraine is not on the agenda for this month.
Any member of the Security Council can propose the issue for consideration, Nebenzya added.
Each of the 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, including Russia, holds the presidency for a month. Russia last chaired the organization in April 2023.
At Moscow's initiative, the Security Council will discuss the conflict in the Middle East in July, particularly the situation in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.
Nebenzya said that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will arrive in New York at the end of the month to participate in the Security Council meetings if "visa issues are resolved."
Answering journalists' questions about Donald Trump's promises to end the war between Russia and Ukraine "quickly," Russia's envoy to the U.N. said that it "cannot be resolved in one day."
A correspondent for Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform also asked Nebenzya about a recent Washington Post article claiming that Russia inadvertently dropped glide bombs on its own territory nearly 40 times in a year.
"Wouldn't you like to raise the issue of the security of the Russian population at the U.N. Security Council to protect it from its own armed forces?" the reporter asked.
Nebenzya replied that Ukraine and "its Western sponsors" are allegedly making up stories about how "Russia is bombing itself."
Several incidents of Russian munitions landing in the Belgorod region have previously been reported, most notably one in April 2023 that resulted in a massive crater in downtown Belgorod.
On May 12, an explosion led to the partial collapse of a Belgorod apartment building, killing 17 people. The Kremlin blamed the incident on a Ukrainian missile, but OSINT researchers concluded it was a Russian bomb.
A document obtained by the Washington Post suggests such events are far more widespread than previously thought, as many of the bombs do not explode and land in the less populated areas around the city, sometimes being discovered days later by farmers and park rangers.
Kateryna Hodunova
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