"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
The announcement follows mounting fears that the two nuclear-armed countries were on the brink of engaging in another full-scale war.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged in private that Russia is difficult to negotiate with because they "want the whole thing," referring to Ukraine, the WSJ reported, citing sources familiar with the comments.
The visit marks Merz’s first trip to Ukraine, and the first time all four leaders have travelled there together.
A notice about the airspace closure was published on the U.S. Defense Department's NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) website on May 10, as cited by Ukrainian defense news outlet Militarnyi.
"As in the past, it is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," the EU's statement reads.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov rejected the idea of a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, claiming in an interview with ABC News on May 10 that it would be "an advantage" for Ukraine.
"Our involvement in the war was justifiable, and this belongs to our sovereign rights," North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said. "I regard this as part of the sacred mission we must execute for our brothers and comrades-in-arms."
The number includes 1,310 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Turkey is ”willing to push for local ceasefires and small localized de-escalations,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Jan. 14, as quoted by Hurriyet Daily News.
“Neither party is in a position to win the war militarily, on the ground,” he said.
On Jan. 8, Kalin told CNN that Turkey is working to establish a long-term ceasefire in Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
Kalin said that neither Ukraine nor Russia can achieve a decisive victory on the battlefield. As a result, Turkey will continue to work on ensuring an extended ceasefire, especially at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, “which remains a major security threat for everyone.”
Asked why Turkey called for a unilateral ceasefire, Kalin said that “it’s the Russian bombardment that is making this war continue.”
Erdogan has already urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to back calls for peace talks through a unilateral ceasefire and a “vision for a fair solution” to Russia’s war, according to a statement from the Turkish president’s office on Jan. 5.
Russia claimed it would have a unilateral ceasefire on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7, only to violate it by continuing fighting on the frontline and striking Kherson on Jan. 6.
At least six civilians were killed, and four got injured, according to the Kherson Regional Administration.
Among the victims was a family living in Beryslav, a small city on the shore of the Dnipro River 76 kilometers northeast of Kherson.
A 12-year-old boy and his parents were killed by a Russian shell that hit their house.
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