Pakistan, Oct. 21 -- LONDON - European leaders from Britain, France, Germany, and the European Union have jointly endorsed US President Donald Trump's call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine based on the current battle lines. In a joint statement released Tuesday, the leaders said the fighting must stop without delay and that the existing line of contact should serve as the starting point for peace negotiations. The move signals a major diplomatic alignment between Washington and key European powers aimed at halting the ongoing conflict.

The statement came as Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare to meet in Budapest later this week to discuss potential terms for a long-term truce. Hungary, a NATO and EU member, has mainta...