VLADIMIR Putin has 24 hours to sign up to an unconditional 30 day ceasefire in Ukraine – or face “painful sanctions” from Europe and America.
Sir Keir Starmer, along with leaders from France, Germany, and Poland, delivered a stern ultimatum to Russia during their visit to war-torn Kyiv to commemorate the end of VE Day week.
Crucially, Donald Trump backed the plan – piling massive pressure on Putin to sign up to the peace deal or face America’s wrath.
The Sun on Sunday was present in Kyiv with Sir Keir as he stood in solidarity with Volodymyr Zelensky, urging Vladimir Putin to halt the conflict and engage in peaceful negotiations.
Speaking at a press conference in the grounds of the Ukrainian Presidential Palace, Sir Keir said it is time to “win the battle for peace”.
The PM said: “All of us together with the US are calling Putin out.
“If he is serious about peace, he has a chance to show that now by extending the VE Day peace to a full 30 day ceasefire.”
If Russia chooses to ignore this ultimatum, further severe sanctions will be imposed, aiming at disrupting its important oil trade and targeting its banking sector in an effort to weaken its wartime economy.
Military aid to Ukraine will again be ramped up so it will be armed to the teeth to take on the Red Army if Putin refuses to comply.
Sir Keir said there is “unity and strength” as around 30 countries across Europe and including Canada, America and Japan are signed up to the plan.
But Russian figures immediately hit back at the peace plan.
Dmitry Medvedev – the former leader of Russia – fumed online: “Shove these plans into your pangender asses!”.
Sir Keir joined President Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish PM Donald Tusk to draw up the plan in the Ukrainian Presidential Palace in the heart of Kyiv.
They then called President Trump on President Macron’s phone and spoke to him for 20 minutes about their plan. The conversation was said to be “very warm”.
Speaking in the grounds of the ornate Presidential Palace, President Macron said: “The camp of peace is here today, and the camp of war is in Moscow.”
Hero war leader President Zelensky added: “Together we can lay the foundations for peace” – but said he doubted Russia would abide by peace.”
Earlier, the leaders had visited Kyiv’s famous Maidan Square, to lay a candle at the foot of flowers laid to remember those killed in Russia’s brutal war.
Above them stood the towering figure of the independence monument of Ukraine, put up in 1991 to celebrate the country casting off the Soviet yoke.
They then stopped for a minute’s silence as a military guard of honour stood by them.
