French President Emmanuel Macron underlined on Saturday during a press conference that Russia will be hit with “massive [and] coordinated” sanctions if it refuses to accept and violates a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine, which is supposed to begin on May 12. “In the event of a violation of this ceasefire, we agree that massive sanctions will be prepared and coordinated between Europeans and Americans,” he commented, adding that the United States would be primarily “monitoring compliance” with the truce. Meanwhile, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that during a summit in Kiev, the European leaders agreed to act in “absolute unity.” On his end, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked that the leaders agreed that there is a need to end the war in Ukraine “with dignity and peace.”
VDL: EU ready to maintain pressure on Russia
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday in a post on X that the European Union supports the proposal for a “full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire” between Ukraine and Russia. She stressed that the truce must be implemented, underpinning that the “ball is now in Russia’s court,” and stressing that the bloc stands ready to “maintain strong pressure on Russia and impose further biting sanctions in the event of a breach of a ceasefire. “Her remarks come as European leaders gather in Ukraine.