Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The leaders of France, Britain, Germany, and Italy held phone talks with US President Donald Trump on Sunday, ahead of his scheduled call with Vladimir Putin, in an attempt to end the conflict in Ukraine, according to the British Prime Minister's Office.
A spokesman for Keir Starmer's government said in a statement that the heads of state and government "discussed the situation in Ukraine and the catastrophic costs of war for both sides."
He added that "ahead of today's phone call between President Trump and President Putin, the two leaders exchanged views on the need for an unconditional ceasefire and the need for President Putin to take peace talks seriously."
Following the failed talks between Kyiv and Moscow in Turkey on Friday, the leaders "also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia does not commit seriously to a ceasefire and peace negotiations," Downing Street said.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter: "President Putin must prove he truly wants peace and accept the unconditional 30-day ceasefire proposed by President Trump, which is supported by Ukraine and Europe." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday after the inauguration mass for Pope Leo XIV: "Europeans and Americans are determined to work together purposefully to bring this terrible war to a swift end." He added, "We have made some small steps forward in the past few days... The parties to the conflict are talking to each other," two days after the first talks since the spring of 2022 failed to achieve a ceasefire. The French, British, and German leaders held talks with US President Donald Trump on Friday, as well as with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.