Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday proposed restarting direct peace negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15 “without preconditions,” hours after European leaders demanded a full 30-day ceasefire beginning Monday.
The offer comes as Kyiv and its allies intensify diplomatic efforts to halt the three-year war and pressure Moscow into halting hostilities.
“We propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the talks that they broke off in 2022, and, I emphasise, without any preconditions,” Putin said in a statement delivered just after 1 am (local time), as reported by AFP.
He added, “We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine,” and said the Kremlin doesn’t rule out agreeing to a ceasefire during the course of the talks.
The proposal follows a strong show of unity in Kyiv on Saturday by the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland, who issued a joint call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and warned Moscow of “new and massive” sanctions if it fails to comply.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire would be monitored by the US, with support from European partners.
“An unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions,” read the joint statement published on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official website. “If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy.”
The proposed ceasefire is backed by US President Donald Trump, who has recently said Ukraine and Russia are “very close to a deal,” although he also voiced doubts about Putin’s willingness to end the conflict.
Retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, was quoted by AP as saying that the ceasefire would “start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.”
Putin did not directly respond to the European proposal but claimed Ukraine had “sabotaged” past Russian ceasefire offers, including a 30-hour Easter truce and a May 8–10 unilateral halt in fighting. “Those who truly want peace cannot but support” the new talks in Istanbul, he said.
Ukraine, however, has accused Russia of routinely violating its own ceasefires.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, quoted by the New York Times, said the monitoring mechanism for the ceasefire was still under discussion but emphasised Kyiv’s readiness for peace. “If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations,” he said.
Putin also vowed to speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about hosting the May 15 meeting, referencing the failed 2022 talks in Istanbul which had touched on Ukraine’s neutrality and future security arrangements. As per news agency AP, he reiterated that talks should aim to “eliminate the root causes of the conflict and to establish a long-lasting peace.”
Meanwhile, Russian attacks continue. Ukrainian officials said shelling in Sumy killed three civilians, while a drone strike in Kherson left one dead. The US Embassy in Kyiv warned of a “potentially significant” Russian air attack in the coming days.
With Trump’s administration having halted new military aid for over 120 days, Kyiv’s allies are pushing to strengthen Ukraine’s defence through arms supplies and possible troop deployments.
Macron said building up Ukraine’s military capabilities and discussing security guarantees would serve as long-term deterrents.
As Europe prepares for possible failure of the ceasefire effort, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “Almost all member states of the European Union and a large coalition of the willing around the world are determined to enforce these sanctions even if our initiative… should fail.”
Still, the Kremlin remains defiant. Russia's spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the threat of further sanctions, telling Rossiya-1 that the country was “accustomed to such pressure.”
The offer comes as Kyiv and its allies intensify diplomatic efforts to halt the three-year war and pressure Moscow into halting hostilities.
“We propose to the Kyiv authorities to resume the talks that they broke off in 2022, and, I emphasise, without any preconditions,” Putin said in a statement delivered just after 1 am (local time), as reported by AFP.
He added, “We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine,” and said the Kremlin doesn’t rule out agreeing to a ceasefire during the course of the talks.
The proposal follows a strong show of unity in Kyiv on Saturday by the leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland, who issued a joint call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire and warned Moscow of “new and massive” sanctions if it fails to comply.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the ceasefire would be monitored by the US, with support from European partners.
“An unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions,” read the joint statement published on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official website. “If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy.”
The proposed ceasefire is backed by US President Donald Trump, who has recently said Ukraine and Russia are “very close to a deal,” although he also voiced doubts about Putin’s willingness to end the conflict.
Retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, was quoted by AP as saying that the ceasefire would “start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.”
Putin did not directly respond to the European proposal but claimed Ukraine had “sabotaged” past Russian ceasefire offers, including a 30-hour Easter truce and a May 8–10 unilateral halt in fighting. “Those who truly want peace cannot but support” the new talks in Istanbul, he said.
Ukraine, however, has accused Russia of routinely violating its own ceasefires.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, quoted by the New York Times, said the monitoring mechanism for the ceasefire was still under discussion but emphasised Kyiv’s readiness for peace. “If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations,” he said.
Putin also vowed to speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about hosting the May 15 meeting, referencing the failed 2022 talks in Istanbul which had touched on Ukraine’s neutrality and future security arrangements. As per news agency AP, he reiterated that talks should aim to “eliminate the root causes of the conflict and to establish a long-lasting peace.”
Meanwhile, Russian attacks continue. Ukrainian officials said shelling in Sumy killed three civilians, while a drone strike in Kherson left one dead. The US Embassy in Kyiv warned of a “potentially significant” Russian air attack in the coming days.
With Trump’s administration having halted new military aid for over 120 days, Kyiv’s allies are pushing to strengthen Ukraine’s defence through arms supplies and possible troop deployments.
Macron said building up Ukraine’s military capabilities and discussing security guarantees would serve as long-term deterrents.
As Europe prepares for possible failure of the ceasefire effort, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “Almost all member states of the European Union and a large coalition of the willing around the world are determined to enforce these sanctions even if our initiative… should fail.”
Still, the Kremlin remains defiant. Russia's spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the threat of further sanctions, telling Rossiya-1 that the country was “accustomed to such pressure.”
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