Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday he is willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin this Thursday in Istanbul, but only if Moscow agrees to a full ceasefire starting Monday.
The announcement comes as the United States and key European leaders escalate pressure on the Kremlin to halt military operations, warning of sweeping new sanctions if Russia fails to comply.
“We expect a complete and lasting ceasefire starting tomorrow to establish the necessary foundation for diplomacy,” Zelensky wrote on X. “There is no reason to prolong the killing. I will wait for Putin in Turkey on Thursday. Personally. I hope this time the Russians won’t come up with excuses.”
His statement followed a rare late-night address from the Russian president. Speaking shortly after midnight Moscow time, Putin proposed resuming direct negotiations with Kyiv, offering Istanbul as the venue and May 15 as the date. “We are offering the Kyiv authorities the opportunity to resume negotiations without any preconditions,” he said, describing the initiative as a step toward a “lasting peace.”
The proposal was swiftly interpreted by many Western officials as a strategic response to mounting international pressure. On Saturday, the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Poland met in Kyiv and urged Russia to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face intensified sanctions and expanded military support to Ukraine.
In Washington, President Donald Trump also weighed in, publicly urging Zelensky to take up the offer. “At least they’ll be able to determine whether a deal is possible. And if it’s not, European leaders and the U.S. will know where we stand — and can act accordingly,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“I’m starting to doubt Ukraine wants to make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War II — which wouldn’t even have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!”, Trump added.
The last direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine took place in the early months of the war, which began with the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The conflict has since claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and plunged Moscow’s relations with the West to their lowest point since the Cuban Missile Crisis.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the idea of talks but voiced skepticism about the Kremlin’s intentions. “Setting another date on the calendar is not enough,” Macron said. “What’s needed is a firm commitment to a ceasefire.”
According to European diplomatic sources, the selection of Istanbul as the meeting site had not been formally coordinated with Ankara. Putin is expected to call Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the coming hours to confirm the location.
Meanwhile, Western pressure continues to mount. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking alongside Zelensky during a visit to Kyiv, warned that failure to commit to a truce would trigger “massive sanctions and further military support” to Ukraine.
“If Putin is serious about peace, this is his moment to show it,” Starmer said.
