"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.
Zelensky signs law on allowing soldiers to preserve reproductive cells for free
Ukrainian soldiers will be able to preserve their reproductive cells for free, allowing them to have children in case of death or injury, according to a law signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 12.
The law, which was first passed by Ukraine's parliament in November 2023, ensures that both male and female military personnel can extract and store their reproductive cells for free, so that they can still have children if they receive injuries that affect their sexual function.
It also allows for children to be born from the reproductive cells of a soldier who has been killed on the battlefield.
Soldiers must, however, arrange their legal affairs so that in the event of their death, they will be "recognized as the father or mother of the child born in this way," lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said on Telegram.
The reproductive cells will be stored for free for at least three years from the date of the soldier's death.
Soldiers also have the right to have their stored reproductive cells destroyed after their death if they wish.
The soldier's will, certified by a notary, "is the basis for the use of assisted reproductive technologies using these reproductive cells," Zhelezniak said.
The law on reproductive cells is not the first change to Ukraine's law that has been prompted by the country's wartime reality.
Zelensky signed a law on Feb. 15 that legalized medical cannabis to help veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as to provide pain relief to people with serious illnesses such as cancer.
Kate Tsurkan
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