Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Türkiye for direct peace talks.Zelenskyy expressed hope that a proposed ceasefire beginning Monday could finally bring an end to the bloodshed in the Ukraine–Russia conflict, which has now lasted almost three years.“I will be waiting for Putin,” Zelenskyy said, reports the Associated Press. The Ukrainian president reaffirmed his country’s commitment to negotiations, provided that hostilities come to a full stop.The announcement followed a weekend of fast-moving diplomatic developments, including a proposal from Putin to restart direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, “without preconditions.” However, Russian shelling continued in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kherson regions over the weekend, killing several civilians and casting doubt on Moscow’s intentions.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump welcomed the development, calling it a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine.”Posting on Truth Social, Trump said, “Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never-ending ‘bloodbath’ hopefully comes to an end. It will be a whole new, and much better, world.” He added, “I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A big week upcoming!”Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, retired lieutenant general Keith Kellogg, described the proposed ceasefire as “comprehensive,” covering land, air, sea, and infrastructure. He suggested it could mark the beginning of the end of “the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.”Putin said on Sunday that he was committed to “serious negotiations” and was coordinating with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to facilitate the talks. However, he warned that any truce must be the foundation for a “lasting peace” and not merely a pause that allows Ukraine to regroup militarily.That condition was criticised by Kyiv. In a joint statement, Zelenskyy’s office said, “An unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions. If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy.”European leaders responded with cautious optimism. French President Emmanuel Macron called Putin’s proposal “a first step, but not enough,” and said that Moscow could be “looking for a way out” or trying to “buy time.”France, Germany, Poland, and United Kingdom have jointly urged an immediate ceasefire to begin on Monday. They also warned of additional sanctions against Russia if it fails to comply. The leaders discussed the ceasefire plan with Trump in a phone call on Saturday.The US Embassy in Kyiv issued a warning over the weekend about a “potentially significant” Russian strike in the coming days, even as ceasefire talks appeared to gain momentum.
