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Moscow slams Ukraine’s ‘confrontational’ European allies

DW – May 10, 2025

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has criticized Ukraine’s European allies after they threatened “massive sanctions” against Russia unless it agrees to their US-backed 30-day ceasefire plan.

“We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more,” Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin “has repeatedly said that he is ready for contacts with any leaders”, Peskov added.

The Kremlin spokesman then said Moscow would consider the proposal, Russian state media TASS reported

“We need to think about this. This is a new development. We have our own position,” Peskov said.

Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president, has dismissed the ceasefire proposal.

Writing in English on X, Medvedev, who is the current deputy head of Russia’s National Security Council, accused the leaders of France, the UK, Germany and Poland of “blurting out threats against Russia.”

“You think that’s smart, eh? Shove these peace plans up your pangender arses!,” he said.

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European leaders hail unity after Kyiv meeting

DW – May 10, 2025

The leaders of Ukraine’s European allies the UK, France, Germany and Poland reaffirmed their backing for Kyiv, praising the unity being shown at their meeting in the Ukrainian capital on Saturday.

At the meeting, they agreed on a proposal — which has also been backed by US President Donald Trump — to impose heavy sanctions on Russia unless Moscow agrees to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

“All of us here, together with the US, are calling Putin out,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

He added that if Putin is “serious” about achieving peace, “he has a chance to show it now” by extending the three-day pause Russia instituted to mark VE Day (Victory in Europe) being celebrated this weekend “into a full, unconditional ceasefire.”

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also praised the unity of Ukraine’s European and American allies, which had come under strain since Trump returned to the White House.

“For the first time in a long while, we feel that the entire free world is truly united,” Tusk said after the Kyiv meetings.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also struck an optimistic tone, saying that their ceasefire proposal meant “there is now a small chance” that the war can end, especially given that the US was now on board.

“We are now very united,” Merz said during an interview shown on German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF.

“Putin must know that he cannot divide the West,” Merz said. “This is the biggest diplomatic initiative in recent months, if not years, to end the war in Ukraine.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, both financially and militarily.

That backing, Macron said, would provide a framework for a “robust and lasting peace.”

“Above all, we will continue to work to ensure that Ukraine has robust security guarantees, with a viable army structure” and “equipment that enables it to deter further attacks,” he said.

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