MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin said early Sunday that Russia is prepared to resume direct peace negotiations with Ukraine and proposed May 15 as the potential date for new talks to be held in Turkey.
Putin noted that he plans to speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan later in the day, expressing optimism that discussions could take place in Istanbul as early as next week. He emphasized that Russia would enter these talks without any preconditions.
He also accused Ukraine of previously abandoning negotiations and violating ceasefire agreements—though both sides have been criticized for breaching the last three ceasefires. Despite the tensions, Putin framed his remarks around the need for “serious talks” aimed at achieving a lasting resolution and enduring peace.
His statement came as Russia’s self-declared three-day ceasefire drew to a close and just hours after leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland warned of increased sanctions if Moscow does not agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting Monday.
KYIV — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine during a joint news briefing on Saturday. The announcement was made alongside more than 30 nations committed to reinforcing support for Ukraine.
The four European leaders also joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Kyiv’s Independence Square, where they took part in a solemn tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
Their proposal for a ceasefire to begin on Monday reportedly has the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump, who was briefed by phone earlier that day. The White House has not issued an official response.
The proposed truce would mandate a full stop to hostilities across land, sea, and air, and is seen as a critical step toward resuming peace negotiations aimed at ending more than three years of war. The unified call from world leaders reflects growing international pressure on Moscow to agree to a temporary halt in fighting.
Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, voiced his support on social media platform X, calling the ceasefire “a potential start to ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.” He reinforced his message with a direct quote from Trump: “Stop the killing now.”
Despite mounting calls for diplomacy, Russian President Vladimir Putin has remained firm on several demands. He continues to insist that Ukraine withdraw from the four regions Russia illegally annexed in 2022—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. He has also called for a formal Ukrainian commitment never to join NATO, limits on the size of its armed forces, and protections for Russian language and culture.
Just last week, Putin reiterated that Russia has the resources and resolve to continue its military campaign to what he called a “logical conclusion.” However, he added that he hoped nuclear weapons would not be necessary.
