Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded to international calls for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire by proposing direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15th.
The offer came shortly after Ukraine and its allies demanded that Moscow agree to a 30-day ceasefire or enhanced sanctions on the face. In comments to reporters early on Sunday, President Putin recalls the failed negotiations in 2022 in Istanbul, which took place shortly after Russia launched a full-scale invasion, and said he wanted to “re-open” those efforts, the Associated Press reported.
“We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine”: Putin
“We are working on serious negotiations with Ukraine,” Putin said. He added that a ceasefire may be possible, but that could later be “in the process of direct consultations with Ukraine.”
His remarks follow a joint proposal by French, British, German and Polish leaders who called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday on Saturday. They said the plan was supported by President Donald Trump. President Donald Trump was briefed over the phone, saying that Ukraine and Russia are “very close to the deal” and should engage in “a very high level of consultation.”
Ukraine: It is held at the Peace Conference, but only after the ceasefire
Ukrainian President Voldimir Zelenki said he is open to peace negotiations only after a ceasefire is established.
According to the Associated Press, Putin has outlined several ceasefire proposals that Russia has held in recent months, including some attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, a 30-hour Easter ceasefire and another one-sided ceasefire starting on May 8th. However, Ukrainian officials accused Moscow of violating each of these initiatives.
Putin rebutted on Sunday, claiming that Ukraine had “stopped these initiatives multiple times” and accusing Kiev of attacking Russian targets. He reiterated that Russia is seeking a ceasefire leading to “lasting peace.”
He also said he would reach out to Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan to promote May 15 peace talks in Istanbul. Turkey had previously held negotiations between the two in March 2022, but these efforts fell apart amid a disagreement over Ukraine’s neutrality, military limitations and the status of the Russian occupied territory.
Moscow has repeatedly accused Kiev and its western allies of derailing these speeches.
Zelenskyy welcomed their presence at a press conference on Kyiv along with European leaders and called it a “very important signal.”
A joint statement from five leaders posted on Zelenskyy’s official website called for a “ceasefire” “to last at least 30 days” from Monday to enable diplomatic progress.
“An unconditional ceasefire cannot be under any conditions, and if Russia demands such conditions, this can be viewed as an effort to extend the war and undermine diplomacy,” the statement read.
