By Ben Aris in Berlin Russian President Vladimir Putin held a rare midnight press conference on May 10 and called for direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in the Istanbul format, as the key EU members of the coalition of the willing met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv and threatened Russia with new extreme sanctions if Russia

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy for talks in Kyiv on Saturday in a show of unity a day after Russia's Vladimir Putin hosted his allies at a Victory Day parade in Red Square.

The leaders of Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland have arrived in Kyiv for key meetings with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, a symbol of a united European position to publicly pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin.