Macron and Starmer sharply reject Putin's terms for ceasefire with Ukraine
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened Russia with new sanctions after a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv. They will be imposed if the Kremlin does not agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine, reports RBC-Ukraine correspondent.
The leaders of France and the UK responded to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's statement on the conditions for a 30-day truce with Ukraine. Moscow wants its Western partners to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons during the ceasefire.
Starmer said that over the past few hours, Putin has put forward conditions for a ceasefire, while they emphasize an unconditional ceasefire. The coalition rejects any proposals for additional conditions.
Russia and Putin must sit to discuss a 30-day ceasefire. Or they will be sanctioned if this does not happen, he added.
Macron supported the British Prime Minister's position and emphasized that there can be no preconditions for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Starmer emphasized that Western allies, along with the United States, are united in their support for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
The proposal for a 30-day ceasefire is on the table, and it is one of the central points of discussion at this meeting, the British Prime Minister said.
Proposal for a 30-day ceasefire
In March of this year, the United States proposed an unconditional 30-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. The White House wants to use this time to reach a peace agreement that would end Russia's war against Ukraine.
Ukraine immediately agreed to the US proposal, saying it was ready to cease fire at any time. However, Russia stubbornly ignores the American initiative, announcing its own fictitious “ceasefires” and putting forward its own demands.
For example, the Kremlin spokesman recently said that Moscow had agreed to a ceasefire, but wanted to “take into account the nuances.” Later, he added that the Kremlin's condition for a ceasefire is that Western aid to Ukraine should stop.
Reuters reported that the US and EU are preparing the latest ceasefire proposal for Russia. If Moscow does not agree, it will face new Western sanctions.
