The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, and Poland have arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine, for a symbolic visit, one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted a military parade on Red Square. The timing of the visit coincides with warnings from the United States of a potential significant air attack on Ukraine.
Prime Ministers Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, and Donald Tusk traveled to Kyiv together on Saturday morning. They met in Rzeszow, Poland, the night before and would meet with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to show support for the nation.
In a joint statement, the four leaders declared their solidarity with Ukraine and stand against Russia’s invasion. They also confronted Russia to remove its forces from Ukraine.
A ceasefire was established by Moscow, but it hasn’t been respected, and fighting has continued. The American embassy in Kyiv warned of potential air attacks, but no further details were provided.
During the visit to Kyiv, the leaders paid respects to the victims by observing a moment of silence and visited Maidan Square. The group later participated in a virtual meeting to discuss an “air, land, sea and regeneration force” that could be part of a peace deal.
Macron is making his first trip to Kyiv since 2022, while Merz is making his first visit as the recently appointed Chancellor. The EU’s top diplomats have expressed irritation over Serbia and Slovakia’s leaders’ attendance at Moscow’s parade. Other world leaders who attended the parade included China’s Xi Jinping and Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The US administration has expressed support for Ukraine despite initial indications of tougher sanctions. Even Vice-President Jill Vance has criticized Moscow’s stance. Trump was asked for a comment on the situation, and he urged both sides to end the war immediately.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/10/leaders-britain-france-germany-poland-arrive-kyiv-ukraine
