Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy yesterday said that Kyiv would meet with Moscow for talks in Istanbul on Thursday, but said that Russia must first commit to a 30-day ceasefire starting today.
Zelenskiy said he sees a “positive sign” from Russia.
The warring sides have not held direct talks since the start of the invasion — launched by the Kremlin in February 2022.
Photo: EPA-EFE/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/SPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL
Zelenskiy’s comments came after Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier proposed that Kyiv and Moscow meet on Thursday.
However, in a nighttime news conference at the Kremlin, Putin did not comment on the 30-day ceasefire proposal put forward by Kyiv and its European allies.
On a visit to Kyiv on Saturday, the leaders of France, the UK, Germany and Poland pressured Russia — with US President Donald Trump’s support — to commit to an unconditional ceasefire.
“There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire — full, lasting and reliable — starting tomorrow, May 15, and Ukraine is ready to meet,” Zelenskiy wrote on social media.
“It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war,” Zelenskiy said, in a break of tone. “The entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.”
Kyiv and its allies have said that an unconditional ceasefire to pause fighting is the only way to advance a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said that Kyiv would only meet if Moscow agreed to the ceasefire.
“First, a 30-day ceasefire, then everything else,” he wrote on social media. “A ceasefire is the first step towards ending the war and it will confirm Russia’s readiness to end the killing.”
Russia occupies about one-fifth of the country’s territory.
Talks in Istanbul in 2022 collapsed and fighting has raged ever since. Communications have only been open for exchanges of prisoners of war and bodies.
Hours before Zelenskiy’s comments, Putin responded to the European ultimatum in a news conference at almost 1am in the Kremlin.
“We propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the talks that they broke off in 2022, and, I emphasize, without any preconditions,” he said.
“We propose to start [negotiations] without delay on Thursday, May 15, in Istanbul,” Putin said, adding that he would talk to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to help facilitate the talks.
“We do not exclude that during these talks we will be able to agree on some new ceasefire,” Putin said in the Kremlin address.
He also accused Ukraine’s Western backers of wanting to “continue war with Russia” and — without mentioning the specific proposal for a 30-day ceasefire — slammed European “ultimatums” and “anti-Russian rhetoric.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said he expected Russia to commit to the ceasefire “without setting any condition.”
“There can be no negotiations while weapons are speaking,” he wrote on social media.
Trump said it was a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine” and vowed to work with both sides to end the fighting.
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