EU leaders urge Putin to accept unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine

European leaders have called US President Donald Trump to discuss proposals for a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine from Monday, during a visit to Kiev.

The call came after leaders of the so-called "coalition of the willing" held a meeting to discuss advancing peace talks.

The leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland were welcomed in person by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while others joined remotely.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the coalition supported a "complete and unconditional" ceasefire - initially proposed by Trump - and that the EU was ready to "impose further tough sanctions" if it was violated.

The presence of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Ukrainian capital was a symbolic response to the more than 20 leaders who joined Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday.

In a joint statement ahead of the visit, they said they would "stand in Kiev in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's barbaric and illegal full-scale occupation."

The leaders added: "Together with the US, we call on Russia to agree to a complete and unconditional 30-day ceasefire to create the space for talks on a just and lasting peace."

A 30-hour ceasefire, unilaterally declared by Putin to mark Russia's Victory Day, is expected to end on Saturday.

The "Coalition of the Willing" was formed to reinforce any eventual peace agreement with security guarantees, including the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine.

Trump previously repeated his call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire after a phone call with Zelensky.