"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.
PM Shmyhal: Euratom and 49 countries call on Russia to leave Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and 49 countries demanded that Russia leaves the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in a joint appeal to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal reported on March 9.
"Risks at the Zaporizhzhia plant will remain high as long as Russian troops and Rosatom (Russia's state energy corporation) personnel stay at the station," Shmyhal wrote after the nuclear plant lost all its power for the sixth time during the full-scale war due to another Moscow's mass missile strike against Ukraine.
Russia launched its largest missile and drone attack in months in the early morning hours of March 9, targeting numerous energy infrastructure sites and causing nationwide blackouts.
"Yet again, Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is running on emergency diesels – the last line of defense…Each time we are rolling a dice. And if we allow this to continue time after time, then one day our luck will run out," IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told the agency's board on the same day.
At 3:23 pm, Ukraine's state electricity grid operator Ukrenergo reported that the plant had been reconnected to the country's power system.
In their appeal to the IAEA, the countries called on Russia to stop shelling Ukrainian energy facilities. They also emphasized the importance of Kyiv regaining control over all nuclear facilities within Ukraine as "only this move will ensure their safety and secure operation," according to the prime minister.
The statement also insists on holding Russia accountable for its "repeated disregard of the nuclear safety principles," Shmyhal added.
Since the beginning of March 2022, the Zaporizhzhia plant has been under the control of Russian troops, who have utilized it as a military base and launched assaults on Ukraine from the plant's territory.
The Ukrainian employees at the plant have been subjected to repeated acts of violence and threats by Russian troops, with the intention of compelling them to cooperate.
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