FOUR EUROPEAN leaders joined Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on May 10th to issue a peace ultimatum to Vladimir Putin: accept a comprehensive 30-day Ukrainian ceasefire starting on Monday or face fresh sanctions. In closely co-ordinated statements clearly aimed at Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer of Britain, Emmanuel Macron of France, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and Poland’s Donald Tusk said the proposal must be “unconditional”. Sir Keir added “no more ifs and buts”. After talks that overran by an hour and included a call to the White House, the leaders claimed to have secured Mr Trump’s backing. “We are grateful that the American president fully supports our initiative, shares it, and is actively pursuing it with us,” Mr Merz said.