Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hosted UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and German opposition leader Friedrich Merz at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv for talks aimed at advancing a cease-fire in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The meeting came after the UK imposed additional sanctions on Russia's "shadow fleet," a network of tankers that evaded oil export limits, according to BBC.

In a joint statement, the leaders pledged to increase pressure on Russia and expressed their support for prospective peace talks. Zelensky stressed that Russia must be held accountable for its aggressiveness.Zelensky reiterated that Russia must be held accountable for its aggression.

The talks took place a day after Russia’s annual World War II victory parade in Moscow and as President Putin’s self-declared three-day ceasefire comes to an end, BBC reported.