Kyiv, May 10 — In a powerful show of solidarity with Ukraine, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Poland arrived in Kyiv on Saturday morning, just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin presided over a Victory Day military parade on Red Square. The visit comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions, with the United States warning of a potential large-scale air attack on Ukraine in the coming days.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and newly appointed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived together by train from the Polish city of Rzeszów, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk travelled separately. The leaders met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska shortly after arriving in the Ukrainian capital.
In a joint statement released ahead of the visit, the four leaders declared:
“We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom, stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion.”
The visit follows renewed hostilities, with reports of ongoing combat along the frontlines despite a unilateral three-day ceasefire announced by Moscow beginning May 8. Ukrainian officials have characterized the Russian ceasefire as a strategic pause aimed at avoiding drone attacks during Russia's commemorative events, rather than a genuine attempt to reduce hostilities.
As the delegation arrived, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a rare public security warning, citing intelligence of a “potentially significant air attack” on Ukraine that could occur at any time in the coming days. No further details were provided.
The European leaders began their day with a solemn visit to Kyiv’s Maidan, where they joined President Zelenskyy and his wife in paying tribute to the victims of Russia’s invasion. Thousands of Ukrainian flags planted in the square symbolized the lives lost in the war.
Later, the leaders held talks with Zelenskyy to discuss both immediate military support and longer-term peace prospects. According to Downing Street, the discussions focused on a proposed “air, land, maritime, and regeneration force” designed to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and security.
“We are ready to support peace talks as soon as possible, to discuss technical implementation of the ceasefire, and prepare for a full peace deal,” the leaders said in a joint communiqué.
“Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we will continue to increase our support for Ukraine and apply growing pressure on Russia’s war machine.”
The visit marks Macron’s first trip to Kyiv since summer 2022 and the first official visit by Chancellor Merz, who assumed office earlier this week.
The visit also signals a coordinated European effort to forge a unified stance ahead of further consultations with the United States. Western leaders have expressed concern over Washington's increasingly ambivalent posture toward the conflict under the Trump administration. However, signs of a shift in tone have emerged following a recent positive exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy at the Vatican.
Even U.S. Vice President JD Vance, previously viewed as a skeptic of American support for Ukraine, recently criticized Moscow’s demands in ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
“Right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they’re asking for too much,” Vance said earlier this week.
On Friday, when asked if he had a message for President Putin, Trump responded:
“I have a message for both parties: Get this war ended. Get this stupid war finished. That’s my message for both of them.”
Meanwhile, tensions simmered over the attendance of several international leaders at Putin’s Victory Day parade. Notably, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva joined Putin in Moscow, along with leaders from Serbia and Slovakia—sparking criticism from EU officials.
“All those who truly support peace cannot stand side-by-side with Putin,” said the EU’s foreign policy chief. “Those who truly support peace should be in Ukraine tomorrow, not Moscow.”
Saturday’s high-profile visit underscores Europe’s message: that the international community stands firmly with Ukraine, both in resisting aggression and in seeking a pathway to peace.
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