British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, during which the leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine.
They also called on Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire, the UK government said on its website.
As the British Prime Minister stated, Ukraine is demonstrating a readiness for peaceful dialogue and remains a party interested in ending the war.
"Turning to the situation in Ukraine, the leaders discussed the need for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to enable meaningful peace talks. Ukraine has proven that it is ready to sit down at the negotiating table and is a party to peace," the statement said.
In addition, it is noted that Macron and Starmer discussed preparations for the upcoming UK-France summit, as well as the EU-UK summit scheduled for the coming weeks.
Ceasefire declarations
As is known, Russia refused to support the initiative for a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the United States of America and supported by Ukraine.
The Kremlin rejected the proposal, stressing that any ceasefire must take into account Russia's "territorial gains" and Moscow's "concerns." Since then, the White House has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of the peace process.
Moscow, in turn, proposed only a three-day ceasefire, timed to coincide with the May 9 celebration. Ukraine rejected Putin's proposal, considering it a political maneuver without a real desire for peace. According to President Zelensky, it is impossible to agree on anything in a few days.