US and European Leaders Demand 30-Day Ceasefire From Russia Ahead of Ukraine Peace Talks, Zelenskiy Discusses Abducted Children With Pope

European and US leaders, along with Ukraine and its allies, have demanded a 30-day unconditional ceasefire from Russia starting Monday as a prerequisite for peace talks aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy discussed the ceasefire proposal and the issue of Ukrainian children reportedly abducted by Russia in a conversation with Pope Francis, seeking the Vatican's support in recovering the children. Despite these calls, Russia has largely ignored the ceasefire proposal. European politicians have warned that failure to agree to the truce will result in new sanctions against Russia. The ceasefire demand is seen as a necessary condition to open substantive negotiations, with the upcoming peace talks expected to be pivotal in the conflict's resolution.