From left, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz make a call to U.S. President Donald Trump from Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov)

European leaders pushed forward their demand that Russia implement a total land, air and sea ceasefire in Ukraine by midnight Monday or face crippling sanctions. The Europeans reiterated their ultimatum after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the ceasefire and proposed holding direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday instead.

Russia is "completely ignoring" a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Ukraine and European powers that was to have begun on Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said. Writing on X, Sybiha said he had spoken to European ministers meeting in London,