The deadlock in the Ukraine peace negotiations has not halted major diplomatic maneuvers − quite the opposite. The 80th anniversary celebrations of Nazi Germany's surrender, on Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9, have sparked a new geopolitical confrontation between Kyiv and Moscow. Meanwhile, talks have intensified between Americans and Europeans, who are trying to enforce a Russian ceasefire, threatening new Western sanctions.
On Friday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron, the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer boarded a train for Kyiv departing from the Polish border. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was in a separate convoy. Their visit was prepared with the utmost discretion in recent days and announced at the last minute, at 11:30 pm, for security reasons.
After a night of travel, the four leaders are expected early Saturday morning in the Ukrainian capital. They will start by paying tribute at Maidan Square to the defenders of Ukraine killed and injured in the fighting against Russia. Welcomed by Zelensky, they are then scheduled to participate in a "coalition of volunteers" meeting, with their counterparts from about 30 countries − all of whom are committed to supporting Kyiv − participating via videoconference.
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