Ukraine war live: Macron calls for ‘direct talks’ between Russia and Ukraine as European leaders arrive in Kyiv

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Macron calls for 'direct talks' betwixt Ukraine and Russia

French president Emmanuel Macron called connected Saturday for “direct talks” betwixt Ukraine and Russia successful the lawsuit of a ceasefire successful Moscow’s three-year invasion, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

If determination is simply a 30-day truce, arsenic occidental countries person floated, “we volition look to nonstop talks betwixt Ukraine and Russia, we are acceptable to help,” Macron said successful an interrogation with French quality outlets TF1 and LCI portion travelling to Kyiv to conscionable European leaders.

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North Korean person Kim Jong-un says information successful Russia-Ukraine warfare justified - KCNA

North Korean person Kim Jong-un said North Korea’s engagement successful the Russia-Ukraine warfare was justified, calling it an workout of sovereign rights successful defence of a “brother nation,” authorities media KCNA reported connected Saturday, according to Reuters.

He besides said Pyongyang would not hesitate to authorise the usage of subject unit if the United States persists successful subject provocations against Russia.

It is the archetypal clip the leaders of the 4 European nations (France, the UK, Germany and Poland) person made a associated sojourn to Ukraine, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

 Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz, France's president   Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine's president   Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the UK's premier  curate  Keir Starmer and Polish premier  curate  Donald Tusk astatine  Saturday’s acme  astatine  the Mariinskyi Palace, Kyiv.
L-R: Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz, France's president Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the UK's premier curate Keir Starmer and Polish premier curate Donald Tusk astatine Saturday’s acme astatine the Mariinskyi Palace, Kyiv. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AP

“We are wide the bloodshed indispensable end. Russia indispensable halt its amerciable invasion,” the leaders said successful a associated statement, adding:

Alongside the US, we telephone connected Russia to hold a afloat and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to make the abstraction for talks connected a conscionable and lasting peace.

They warned:

We volition proceed to summation our enactment for Ukraine. Until Russia agrees to an enduring ceasefire, we volition ratchet up unit connected Russia’s warfare machine.

They are aboriginal scheduled to big a virtual gathering to update different European leaders connected moves to make a European unit that could supply Ukraine with information aft the war.

Such a unit “would assistance regenerate Ukraine’s equipped forces aft immoderate bid woody and fortify assurance successful immoderate aboriginal peace”, the leaders’ connection said.

Russia has said it volition not tolerate immoderate occidental subject beingness successful Ukraine erstwhile the warring ends and has warned the connection could spark warfare betwixt Moscow and Nato.

Germany warns Russia of harder sanctions if it refuses Ukraine ceasefire

German chancellor Friedrich Merz warned Russia volition look harder sanctions if it refuses a 30-day ceasefire demanded by the west, successful an interrogation published connected Saturday by the Bild daily.

If president Vladimir Putin does not hold to the truce, “there volition beryllium a monolithic hardening of sanctions and the monolithic assistance to Ukraine volition proceed – politically, of course, but besides financially and militarily,” said Merz, who was visiting Kyiv connected Saturday with the leaders of France, the UK and Poland.

Here are immoderate images from Kyiv this greeting coming successful via the newswires:

 Poland’s premier  curate  Donald Tusk, UK premier  curate  Keir Starmer, Ukrainian president   Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, French president   Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz successful  Kyiv’s Maidan.
L-R: Poland’s premier curate Donald Tusk, UK premier curate Keir Starmer, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz successful Kyiv’s Maidan. Photograph: WPA/Getty Images
 Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer be  a gathering  of the ‘coalition of the willing’ astatine  the Mariyinsky Palace, Kyiv.
L-R: Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer be a gathering of the ‘coalition of the willing’ astatine the Mariyinsky Palace, Kyiv. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/EPA
Keir Starmer (centre right) with Emmanuel Macron (centre left) successful  Kyiv.
Keir Starmer (centre right) with Emmanuel Macron (centre left) successful Kyiv. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
 Poland’s Donald Tusk, the UK’s Keir Starmer, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz successful  Kyiv’s Maidan.
L-R: Poland’s Donald Tusk, the UK’s Keir Starmer, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz successful Kyiv’s Maidan. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Russia says occidental arms flows to Ukraine would request to halt during immoderate ceasefire

Russia would necessitate a halt to US and European arms supplies to Ukraine during immoderate imaginable ceasefire, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said successful an interrogation with ABC News.

“Otherwise it volition beryllium an vantage for Ukraine. Ukraine volition proceed their full mobilisation, bringing caller troops to [the] frontline,” Peskov said. He added:

Ukraine volition usage this play to bid caller subject unit and to springiness a remainder to their existing ones. So wherefore should we assistance specified an vantage to Ukraine?

US president Donald Trump urged Russia and Ukraine connected Friday to “get this anserine warfare finished”, arsenic helium pushed for a 30-day ceasefire that Ukraine says it is consenting to hold to. But Peskov, successful the interview, restated Russian concerns that Vladimir Putin had made nationalist arsenic acold backmost arsenic 13 March and acceptable retired successful a telephone telephone with Trump connected 18 March.

“A ceasefire was supported by President Putin, but helium asked respective questions. He said that close present we person definite dynamics connected the front, Russian troops are advancing, and advancing successful rather a assured way,” helium said, adding:

So if we talk astir ceasefire, what are we going to bash with shipments of weapons coming each time from the United States and from European countries?

According to Reuters, his comments underlined the deficiency of immoderate displacement successful Russia’s presumption connected a ceasefire since mid-March. During that clip Trump, who antecedently had applied aggravated unit connected Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has shown increasing impatience with Russia and questioned whether Putin was “tapping maine along”. Peskov denied that was the case, and said it was Ukraine that was refusing to participate nonstop negotiations.

“President Putin is doing immoderate is imaginable to lick the problem, to execute a colony done peaceful and diplomatic means. But having nary peaceful and diplomatic means astatine hand, we person to proceed the subject operation,” helium said.

Russia hoped that mediation by Trump would assistance to bring “a small spot much flexibility, a small spot much governmental volition and contented to the Kyiv regime”, Peskov said.

Analysis: are we heading for a 3rd satellite war?

In a week successful which erstwhile allies successful a redividing globe separately commemorated the 80th day of the extremity of the 2nd satellite war, the consciousness of a runaway descent towards a 3rd satellite warfare draws ever closer.

The implosion of Pax Americana, the interconnectedness of conflicts, the caller willingness to edifice to unbridled state-sponsored unit and the irrelevance of the institutions of the rules-based bid person each been connected brutal show this week. From Kashmir to Khan Younis, Hodeidah, Port Sudan and Kursk, the lone dependable is of explosions, and the lone acquisition is that the aged rules nary longer apply.

This is forcing countries to rethink their relationships, writes Patrick Wintour successful today’s Saturday read:

Slovak premier curate Robert Fico said connected Friday his state wanted to make relations with Russia, and helium derided European Union detractors who created obstacles to his attendance astatine the 2nd satellite warfare commemorations successful Moscow, reports Reuters.

Fico broke ranks with the EU by visiting Moscow precocious past year, much than 2 years aft Russia’s penetration of Ukraine. He met Russian president Vladimir Putin successful the Kremlin precocious connected Friday evening aft the Red Square parade marking the 80th day of the triumph implicit Nazi Germany.

China’s Xi Jinping was among respective twelve leaders astatine the commemorations, but astir each occidental leaders stayed away.

Fico arrived aft a circuitous travel made indispensable by EU members’ barring his craft from their airspace, reports Reuters.

Russian president   Vladimir Putin, left, and Slovakia's premier  curate  Robert Fico successful  the Kremlin, Moscow, connected  Friday.
Russian president Vladimir Putin, left, and Slovakia's premier curate Robert Fico successful the Kremlin, Moscow, connected Friday. Photograph: Alexander Nemenov/AP

“As a caput of government, I privation to guarantee you that it is successful my involvement to person pragmatic relations with the Russian Federation,” Russian quality agencies quoted Fico arsenic telling Putin. He said helium opposed the instauration of immoderate caller “iron curtain and pledge to bash everything truthful that we tin shingle hands crossed a curtain”.

He added:

Let america see arsenic a childish gag each the method problems we confronted, created by our European Union colleagues.

Putin said Russia appreciated Fico’s determination to be contempt the “logistical obstacles that were created. But you are nevertheless here.”

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s apical diplomat, had criticised Fico’s attendance astatine the Moscow ceremonies. Polish premier curate Donald Tusk said attending the triumph parade and “applauding President Putin … brings shame to everyone who is there.”

In a effect to Kallas’ comments connected Facebook, Fico said helium was paying tribute to Soviet Red Army soldiers who had liberated Slovakia successful the war. Kallas had nary close to criticise him, Fico said, arsenic it was mean to clasp a dialog with different leaders.

Fico besides told Putin helium was prepared to usage a nationalist veto to reason plans by the 27-nation EU to signifier retired Russian vigor purchases. Slovakia and Hungary had earlier voiced absorption to the plan. Fico described the connection arsenic “simply economical suicide”.

Shaun Walker

Shaun Walker

It is Emmanuel Macron’s archetypal sojourn to Kyiv since summertime 2022, and the archetypal sojourn arsenic chancellor for Friedrich Merz, who lone took bureau this week.

The 4 European leaders visited Kyiv’s Maidan connected Saturday morning, unneurotic with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife. Thousands of flags person been planted successful the cardinal square, to retrieve those who person been killed successful the warfare with Russia. The leaders paid their respects and had a infinitesimal of silence, earlier heading to talks with Zelenskyy.

Later, Downing Street said the 5 would beam into a virtual gathering to update different leaders connected advancement being made for a alleged “air, land, maritime and regeneration force” that is planned to beryllium portion of a bid deal.

From left, Polish premier  curate  Donald Tusk, Ukrainian president   Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UK premier  curate  Keir Starmer, French president   Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Friedrich Merz astatine  Kyiv’s Maidan.
From left, Polish premier curate Donald Tusk, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, UK premier curate Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Friedrich Merz astatine Kyiv’s Maidan. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

Macron calls for 'direct talks' betwixt Ukraine and Russia

French president Emmanuel Macron called connected Saturday for “direct talks” betwixt Ukraine and Russia successful the lawsuit of a ceasefire successful Moscow’s three-year invasion, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).

If determination is simply a 30-day truce, arsenic occidental countries person floated, “we volition look to nonstop talks betwixt Ukraine and Russia, we are acceptable to help,” Macron said successful an interrogation with French quality outlets TF1 and LCI portion travelling to Kyiv to conscionable European leaders.

Shaun Walker

Shaun Walker

Saturday’s sojourn to Kyiv is apt to absorption much connected uncovering a communal occidental presumption connected Ukraine to instrumentality to Donald Trump, arsenic European leaders effort their champion to support the US onside. The Trump medication has truthful acold appeared to beryllium overmuch tougher connected Kyiv than Moscow, but determination are immoderate tiny signals that the temper successful Washington mightiness beryllium changing, aft a affirmative gathering betwixt Trump and Zelenskyy successful the Vatican connected the sidelines of the pope’s funeral.

Even vice-president JD Vance, seen arsenic the astir sceptical of voices connected enactment for Ukraine, has criticised Moscow’s stance successful caller days. “Right now, the Russians are asking for a definite acceptable of requirements, a definite acceptable of concessions successful bid to extremity the conflict. We deliberation they’re asking for excessively much,” helium said earlier successful the week.

Trump was asked by reporters successful the Oval Office if helium had a connection for Putin connected Friday, aft the US embassy had released its aerial onslaught warning. “I person a connection for some parties: Get this warfare ended,” helium said, adding: “Get this anserine warfare finished. That’s my connection for some of them.”

Leaders of UK, France, Germany and Poland get successful Kyiv to propulsion for 30-day ceasefire

The leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Poland person arrived successful Kyiv for a symbolic sojourn to Ukraine, one time aft Vladimir Putin hosted a set-piece subject parade connected Red Square. The sojourn comes arsenic the US warned of quality astir a large impending aerial onslaught connected Ukraine.

Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz arrived successful Kyiv connected the aforesaid bid connected Saturday morning, portion Donald Tusk travelled connected a abstracted train. The 4 leaders met successful the Polish metropolis of Rzeszow connected Friday nighttime earlier departing. On Saturday, they volition conscionable Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy successful a amusement of enactment for Ukraine, Downing Street said successful a connection issued precocious connected Friday.

“We, the leaders of France, Germany, Poland the United Kingdom volition basal successful Kyiv successful solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and amerciable full-scale invasion,” the 4 leaders said successful a associated statement.

UK premier  curate  Keir Starmer, France’s president   Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz connected  committee  a bid     to Kyiv.
UK premier curate Keir Starmer, France’s president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz connected committee a bid to Kyiv. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AP

Meanwhile, Tusk said that anyone attending the military parade successful Moscow to people the extremity of the 2nd satellite warfare had brought shame connected themselves, aft Slovak premier curate Robert Fico became the lone EU person to attend.

“I effort not to remark connected the decisions and behaviour of leaders of states, particularly from our community,” Tusk told a quality conference.

“But determination is nary uncertainty successful my caput that being astatine the triumph parade successful Moscow and applauding President Putin … brings shame to everyone who is there.”

Here is simply a little summary of different cardinal developments:

  • US President Donald Trump said connected Friday helium would similar Putin and Zelenskyy to “get this warfare ended” in Ukraine arsenic helium pushes for a 30-day ceasefire. Trump, who departs connected Monday connected a travel to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, was asked what his connection to Putin is successful the aftermath of a informing from the US embassy successful Kyiv astir a “potentially significant” aerial onslaught successful the coming days. “I person a connection for some parties: Get this warfare ended,” Trump said of Ukraine and Russia. “Get this anserine warfare finished.”

  • Ukrainian troops person made further attempts to breach the Russian borderline successful the Kursk and Belgorod regions, the Russian defence ministry said connected Friday. The defence ministry said the attacks occurred during a three-day ceasefire moving from 8-10 May that Russia has unilaterally declared to people the 80th day of triumph implicit Nazi Germany successful the 2nd satellite war. Ukraine has called the ceasefire a “farce” and connected Friday documented scores of equipped clashes.

  • Ukrainian authorities assertion to person busted a Hungarian spy ringing operating connected its territory, alleging that Budapest was collecting delicate subject information with 1 oculus connected a imaginable aboriginal incursion into the westbound of the country.

  • North Korean person Kim Jong-un said North Korea’s engagement successful the Russia-Ukraine warfare was justified, calling it an workout of sovereign rights successful defence of a “brother nation,” authorities media KCNA reported connected Saturday. Kim besides said Pyongyang would not hesitate to authorise the usage of subject unit if the United States persists successful subject provocations against Russia.

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