European unity: Strong front against Russia's ceasefire test
The President of the European Commission expressed support for a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict with Russia and declared readiness to impose further sanctions if the truce is broken. The European Union unequivocally supports an unconditional halt to military action, which could pave the way for peace talks.
Ursula von der Leyen published a statement on the X platform on Saturday, emphasising the necessity of implementing a ceasefire without setting any preconditions. According to the President of the European Commission, this initiative should lead to the start of constructive peace negotiations. "It must be implemented without preconditions to pave the way for meaningful peace negotiations. The ball is now in Russia's court," von der Leyen stated in her message.
In her post, the President of the European Commission highlighted the European Union's determination to exert pressure on Russia. Von der Leyen announced that the Community is prepared to "maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire." This position clearly indicates the consequences that Moscow may face if it does not adhere to the conditions of the ceasefire.
European leaders unanimous on the ceasefire
Similar declarations were made on Saturday by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron. Both leaders expressed a position consistent with the statement of the President of the European Commission during talks with the media. Merz and Macron both arrived in Kyiv with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for a meeting of the so-called "coalition of the willing."
The visit of European leaders to the Ukrainian capital was aimed at demonstrating unity and determination in supporting the ceasefire proposal. The "coalition of the willing" meeting provided a platform for developing a joint stance on the conflict and discussing further diplomatic steps and potential sanctions should the truce be broken.
US President Donald Trump also engaged in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. On Thursday, the American leader called for the implementation of a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Trump threatened to impose sanctions on entities that would not respect the truce conditions, which shows the convergence of positions between the USA and the European Union on this issue.
