Macron, Merz and Starmer: European leaders in Kiev

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, today received in the Ukrainian capital the leaders of the largest European countries: the French head of state, Emmanuel Macron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, the head of the Polish executive, Donald Tusk, and also the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz.

This is the first time that Friedrich Merz has visited Ukraine as chancellor. The German leader took office on Tuesday and his visit to Kiev shows the new German government's support for Ukraine.

The leaders have already met in Kiev, paid tribute to Ukrainian soldiers killed in combat and are expected to speak to the press at a press conference.

This visit is an initiative of the “coalition of goodwill”, an alliance that brings together several European countries (and others) to support Ukraine in peace negotiations with Russia. In fact, the visit of the European leaders serves to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a 30-day ceasefire.

The European leaders' visit comes a day after around 20 foreign leaders were in Moscow to watch the military parade in Red Square.