Ukraine-Russia war latest: Starmer joins world leaders in Kyiv to push Putin to agree 30-day ceasefire

Keir Starmer is about to take part in a press conference in Kyiv urging the Russians to agree a 30 day ceasefire in Ukraine, writes Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin.

Once again it will see the PM on the same side as President Trump in what has been an extraordinary few days of diplomacy for the PM. It will be seen as a vindication of his stance to try to act as a ‘bridge’ between the US and Ukraine, after that disastrous White House showdown between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky.

Support for Ukraine is the “absolute focus” of Britain and its northern European allies, Sir Keir Starmer said on Friday as he attended a military summit in Norway that coincided with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.

The prime minister met counterparts at a Joint Expeditionary Forces (JEF) leaders’ gathering in Oslo on Friday, during which Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke virtually.

Following the summit, Sir Keir said the UK-led group’s utmost priority was defending the values “hard-won” during the Second World War and continuing to stand behind Kyiv.

He is now in Ukraine for a meeting with Mr Zelensky as well as the leaders of France, Poland and Germany.

At least 117 civilians have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in Russian aerial attacks on Ukraine since Kyiv announced its willingness for a ceasefire, analysis by The Associated Press has found.

Ukraine announced on March 11 that it was ready to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire, provided Russia did the same. However Russia has continued its military campaign.

Among the deadliest attacks recently was a Russian ballistic missile that struck in the packed centre of Sumy in northeast Ukraine on a busy Palm Sunday morning in mid-April.

At least 35 people, including two children, were killed and around 120 wounded. Another blasted a playground in Zelenskyy’s hometown, killing 20 people including nine children.

European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer are meeting in Kyiv a day after Russian president Vladimir Putin presided over a massive show of military strength in Moscow.

Mr Putin was joined by Chinese president Xi Jinping and dozens of other foreign leaders for a Victory Day parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.

Alexander Butler has more on this display of military might here:

Russia would require a halt to US and European arms supplies to Ukraine during any potential ceasefire, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with ABC News.

“Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilisation, bringing new troops to (the) frontline,” Mr Peskov said.

“Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones. So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?”

The visit of European leaders to Kyiv for talks with the Ukrainians comes amid a push from the White House for a resolution to the Ukraine-Russia war.

US president Donald Trump has been pushing for a rapid peace deal and patched up ties with Kyiv to sign a mineral resources deal that paves the way for US investment in the country.

On Friday, Mr Trump said he would like Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to “get this war ended”.

He was asked what his message to Mr Putin would be in the wake of a warning from the US embassy in Kyiv about a “potentially significant” air attack in the coming days.

He 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”.

There has been a palpable shift in tone from Mr Trump, who has signalled growing frustration with Vladimir Putin’s foot-dragging over a ceasefire and Russia’s restatement of its demands for a settlement.

Mr Trump has threatened to step up sanctions against Russia but he has also said he could abandon the peace effort if there is no breakthrough. He called on Thursday for a 30-day ceasefire and Mr Zelensky said he would be ready to implement it immediately.

The White House said that Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky had a “very good and productive” call on Thursday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Friday that Russia supports the implementation of a 30-day ceasefire in the conflict, but only with due consideration of “nuances”.

A meeting is now underway at Mariyinsky Palace, the official residence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a strong show of support for Ukraine, the four European leaders were pictured together with the Ukrainian president and his wife to mark the beginning of their visit to Kyiv.

The leaders, Donald Tusk, Sir Keir Starmer, Olena Zelenska, Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Mertz, stood side by side in Independence Square in Kyiv.

After their arrival, Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff said that there “is a lot of work to do, a lot of topics to discuss”, adding: “We must end this war with a just peace. We must force Moscow to agree to a ceasefire”.

The joint visit by the European leaders comes a few days after Russian president Vladimir Putin hosted China’s president Xi Jinping to Moscow to commemorate the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany 80 years ago.

Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk and Friedrich Mertz have arrived in Kyiv in a joint show of support for Ukraine.

The leaders arrived together by train and were then greeted by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife Olena Zelenska. The leaders then paid their respects to the victims of war at the Memorial for the Fallen at the Independence Square in Kyiv.