Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed direct talks between Russia and Ukraine on May 15 in Istanbul. He stated that Russia is ready for “serious negotiations without preconditions” and suggested starting them on Thursday in the Turkish metropolis. The talks should aim to address the “deep roots” of the conflict, Putin said. He did not exclude the possibility of a new ceasefire being agreed upon during these talks.
Ukraine and its European supporters, known as the “Willful Coalition” had previously called on Russia to support President Donald Trump for a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting from Monday, or face “massive new sanctions.” Putin did not directly address this call. He said that it was not Russia that had broken off negotiations in 2022, but Kiev. The Russian President added that the decision now lies with the Ukrainian side and its leadership, which he believes is driven by personal political ambitions.
Prior to this, the three-day ceasefire declared by Russia in Ukraine had ended. Putin had unilaterally declared a three-day ceasefire in the run-up to the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, which came into effect at midnight on Thursday. Kiev did not agree to the ceasefire and called for a 30-day ceasefire. A US proposal also calls for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. The Kremlin stated that it would examine the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, but noted that it would be futile to put Moscow under pressure.