Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called in to a ministerial meeting held in London on May 12, joining his counterparts from the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the European Union via video link, the Foreign Ministry said.
Speaking after the meeting, Sybiha thanked U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy for convening the allies in what he called an "effective and regular format" and said discussions focused on coordinating peace efforts and joint work with the United States.
"This week will be decisive for peace and accountability," Sybiha said. He also shared front-line intelligence from Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, confirming that Russian forces have not honored the proposed ceasefire from May 12 and continue attacking Ukrainian positions across the front.
Over the past 24 hours, Russian attacks injured at least 22 people in Ukraine. This included at least seven people injured in drone attacks overnight on May 12, a date from which the 30-day unconditional truce should have started.
"Moscow is once again missing a chance to end the killing," Sybiha said, adding that President Volodymyr Zelensky remains ready to meet personally with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 15.
Previously, Putin invited Ukraine to resume talks in Turkey on May 15, which, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Russia wishes to base on the terms of the 2022 Istanbul discussions and the "current situation on the battlefield."
Zelensky announced his readiness to meet Putin in Turkey on May 15, reiterating Ukraine's proposal for a complete and unconditional ceasefire starting May 12. The Kremlin has not responded to Zelensky's proposal for a face-to-face meeting of the two leaders.
Sybiha said Ukraine and its allies discussed tougher sanctions against Russia's banking sector, central bank, and energy industry, potentially to be introduced alongside new defense aid packages. "Putin must understand the cost of rejecting peace and choosing war," he said.
Germany already gave Russia until the end of May 12 to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine, warning that failure to do so would trigger preparations for new sanctions.
According to Poland's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski, ministers from the "Weimar Plus" group, France, Germany, Poland, and the U.K., will also hold a joint phone call on May 12 with their counterparts from the U.S. and Turkey. They plan to discuss organizing potential peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, according to Ukrinform.
Martin Fornusek,
(Updated: )
