About 25 leaders, mainly from Europe, attended the two-hour meeting. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand also participated.
"Now Ukraine has accepted an agreement for a 30-day ceasefire, to then be able to reach a sustainable peace. Now the ball is in Russia's court, which cannot be allowed to delay this process or set new conditions for Ukraine," writes Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) in a comment to TT after the meeting.
According to Kristersson, there is broad agreement on important steps forward:
"Strengthen European NATO countries' own defense. Cooperate closely within the EU and with the rest of Europe. Continue to strengthen Ukraine and impose further sanctions on Russia. All this is what Sweden is doing now.”
"Troops on the ground"
UK's Keir Starmer says at a press conference that Russia's "appetite for destruction" must be stopped. A new meeting will be held on Thursday to further discuss military support, including possible European forces to Ukraine.
Troops on the ground and planes in the air – if necessary, says Starmer.
He emphasizes the importance of serious discussions and concrete commitments to achieve a pause in the fighting.
And not just a pause, but a lasting peace.
Starmer also emphasizes the importance of new sanctions against Russia.
We should not underestimate the effect they have already had, and by expanding the sanctions, it will put even more pressure.
The proposals from the meeting will be presented to US President Donald Trump soon, writes Bloomberg. The leaders hope to convince the US to – without deploying American soldiers – offer security guarantees in the form of, among other things, air support, intelligence, and border surveillance as part of a peacekeeping force.
Zelenskyj after the meeting
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyj writes on X that the proposal for a ceasefire has been on the table since Tuesday and that President Vladimir Putin is lying when he says it's complicated. It's Putin who is dragging out the war, writes Zelenskyj.
"A ceasefire could have already happened, but Russia is doing everything to prevent it."
At a press conference in Kyiv, Zelenskyj clarifies that for Russia, it's about improving its negotiating position.
They want a stronger position before a ceasefire. I think the delay is due to that, they want to improve their situation on the battlefield.
