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 provide comes as Kyiv and its allies enhance political efforts to end the three-year conflict and tension Moscow into delaying conflicts.
“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 does n’t rule out agreeing to a ceasefire during the course of the talks.
The plan follows a powerful show of unity in Kyiv on Saturday by the rulers of Britain, France, Germany and Poland, who issued a mutual contact for an absolute 30-day peace and warned Moscow of “new and massive” punishment if it fails to agree.
European President Emmanuel Macron said the peace may be monitored by the US, with support from Western partners.
“An absolute peace by explanation may be content to any problems, ” read the joint statement published on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s official site. “If Russia calls for such circumstances, this can only be considered as an endeavor to prolong the war and destroy geopolitics. ”
The proposed peace is backed by US President Donald Trump, who has just said Ukraine and Russia are “very near to a deal, ” although he also voiced concerns about Putin’s commitment to end the conflict.
Retired Lt Gen Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, was quoted by AP as saying that the peace had “start the method 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 really want serenity cannot but help ” the fresh talks in Istanbul, he said.
Ukraine, nevertheless, has accused Russia of constantly violating its own settlements.
Russian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha, quoted by the New York Times, said the surveillance system for the peace was still under debate but emphasised Kyiv’s eagerness for peace. “If Russia agrees and effective tracking is ensured, a durable peace and confidence-building actions can pave the way to harmony conversations, ” he said.
Putin also vowed to speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about hosting the May 15 meet, referencing the unsuccessful 2022 talks in Istanbul which had touched on Ukraine’s independence and potential security plans. As per media company AP, he reiterated that speaks should target to “eliminate the main causes of the conflict and to create a long-lasting harmony. ”
However, Russian problems continue. Ukrainian officials said shooting in Sumy killed three residents, while a drone attack in Kherson left one dead. The US Embassy in Kyiv warned of a “potentially major ” Russian air strike in the coming weeks.
With Trump’s management having halted fresh military support for over 120 days, Kyiv’s supporters are pushing to develop Ukraine’s army through arms products 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. ”
