Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he is ready for direct negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and will personally wait for him in Istanbul on May 15. In his message on Telegram, he emphasized the need for a ceasefire, which must be complete and lasting to create a foundation for a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Response to Putin’s Proposal and Prospects for Negotiations
Zelensky stressed that he will be waiting for Putin in Turkey, hoping that the Russians will not look for reasons to avoid the meeting this time. Meanwhile, on May 11, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin proposed to resume the negotiation process with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 and also emphasized the necessity of direct dialogue. Ukraine and its allies had previously discussed the possibility of an unconditional ceasefire starting May 12 in Kyiv on May 10, but there was no response from the Russian president at that time.
Zelensky reacted to this proposal, calling it a positive sign and noting that everyone in the world has long awaited the end of the war. He emphasized that the most important first step is a ceasefire and advocates for its complete and lasting conclusion.
“This is a good sign that the Russians have finally started thinking about ending the war. Everyone in the world has been waiting for this for a long time. And the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire”
Zelensky added that Ukraine is ready for the meeting and expects confirmation of the ceasefire.
Turkey has expressed its readiness to facilitate the achievement of peace and serves as a potential venue for negotiations. According to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the country is prepared to make any contribution to the process and help achieve lasting peace.
At a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” in Kyiv, a decision was made for an unconditional and complete ceasefire for at least 30 days starting from May 12. This decision was supported by five leaders: Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Donald Tusk, and Keir Starmer. They also held a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.
After the negotiations, Trump called for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, threatening to impose additional sanctions if it was not fulfilled. He emphasized that further actions would depend on the fulfillment of peace commitments.