The European proposal for a 30-day ceasefire is an “unacceptable” ultimatum, the Kremlin said.

Europe, with the backing of US president Donald Trump, proposed a 30-day ceasefire beginning yesterday.

The European countries, including the UK, threatened Vladimir Putin with further sanctions if he failed to agree.

“The language of ultimatums is unacceptable for Russia, it is not suitable. You can't use such language with Russia," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Ukraine and its European allies have been seeking to put pressure on Moscow to accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday, with the leaders of four major European powers travelling to Kyiv on Saturday to show unity with Mr Zelensky.

Earlier yesterday, the German government said Europe would start preparing new sanctions against Russia unless the Kremlin by the end of the day started abiding by the ceasefire.

Donald Trump has suggested he could join Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian president Vladimir Putin in Turkey this week if the two leaders meet for peace talks there.

“You may have a good result out of the Thursday meeting in Turkey … and I believe the two leaders are going to be there. I've got so many meetings, but I was thinking about actually flying over there. There's a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen, but we've got to get it done,” Mr Trump said in the White House yesterday.

Mr Trump’s current schedule has him visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar this week.

The US president added that he insisted that the meeting between the two leaders takes place.

“I think you’re going to have … maybe a good meeting, you have the potential for a good meeting. A meeting wasn’t going take place, and I insisted that that meeting take[s] place...,” Mr Trump said.