Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday said he is ready to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for talks in Istanbul next week.
The development comes after US President Donald Trump told Zelensky to agree to an offer of talks with Russia immediately.
Zelensky said that Ukraine expected a full ceasefire to start on Monday in order to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy to end the war.
We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 11, 2025
“We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses,” Zelensky, in a post on X, said.
Ukraine, along with its allies, had demanded Russia accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday before holding talks. However, Russia rejected the proposal and called for direct negotiations instead.
Meanwhile, Trump has said in a social media post on Sunday that Ukraine should agree to Putin’s peace talks proposal “immediately.”
“President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said in the post.
“At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly! I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!” the US President added.
