Zelensky Ready to Meet Putin in Turkey for Peace Talks Amid Ceasefire Push

On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that he was willing to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to put an end to the current war between their countries.

This came after US President Donald Trump called on Ukraine to immediately accept negotiations offered by Putin to be conducted in Turkey on May 15.

"No problem with negotiations, we have none here in Ukraine. Any format, we're ready. This Thursday, I'll be in Turkey, May 15th, and expect Putin personally there. Hopefully this time, Putin won't get away by excusing it. We're willing to speak and stop the war. President Trump has offered assistance, as has all other leaders in the world," Zelensky uploaded on X.

Previously, on Sunday, Russian President Putin proposed to the Ukrainian authorities the option of reinstating direct negotiations without preconditions, which were suspended by Ukraine in 2022.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov pointed out that Putin's proposal to hold direct negotiations reflected Russia's sincere will to resolve the crisis in Ukraine through peaceful means.

This is a serious offer, confirming the real will to make peace," Peskov said in a broadcast on Russian state television. "A durable peace can only be achieved through serious talks, and the Russian President has now demonstrated willingness for these talks."

In April, Putin declared a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds between May 8 at midnight and May 11, aligning with the Victory Day festivities.

Zelensky rebuffed this ceasefire, demanding a longer halt in hostilities on Ukrainian-friendly terms and making threats regarding Victory Day celebrations in Moscow, said Russian news agency TASS.

Putin said on Sunday that Russia could consider prolonging the three-day ceasefire based on how the Ukrainian government would react.

"On this holy day for us, we again decreed a ceasefire for the third time. We have made our Western partners know that we do not exclude the possibility of prolonging it. Yet, this would depend on our evaluation of the situation during these three days, depending on the behavior of the Kyiv authorities," Putin said to journalists in the Kremlin.