Ukraine allies set Russia 30-day ultimatum for truce

Kyiv's allies pressed Russia on Saturday to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine from Monday, threatening Moscow with coordinated sanctions if it did not agree to the demand. The ultimatum came during a joint press conference in Kyiv attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of France, Germany, the UK and Poland.

Russia said it woud consider a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, while Moscow has its own position, the TASS news agency said on Saturday, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

The proposal united allies including the United States, they said. The unprecedented visit was the first time the leaders of the four European nations had made a joint trip to Ukraine. "We have just now... decided to support a ceasefire which will begin next Monday, without any preconditions," France's Emmanuel Macron said.

Around 20 member countries of the "coalition of the willing" supporting Ukraine had held a videoconference with Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Zelensky.

Iran to send launchers

Iran is preparing to deliver in the near future launchers for short-range ballistic missiles that the US said Tehran sent to Russia last year for use against Ukraine, according to two Western security officials and a regional official. Iran denied it had such plans and dismissed the idea as "absurd". The delivery of the Fath-360 launchers with 120km range- if occurs - would help support Russia's grinding assault on its neighbour and reaffirm the deepening security ties between Moscow and Tehran.

Berlin won't report deliveries

Germany will stop publishing details of military aid to Ukraine, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Saturday during a visit to Kyiv. Sources with knowledge of the matter had earlier said such a move will help achieve "strategic ambiguity" and prevent Russia gaining any strategic advantages.

(Inputs from AFP and Reuters)