Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed hope for a full and temporary ceasefire with Russia starting Monday, saying he will be in Turkiye to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin “personally.” His comments came after US President Donald Trump urged Kyiv to accept Russia’s latest offer for direct talks in Turkiye on Thursday.
Speaking on X on Sunday, Zelenskyy said, “We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy. There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.”
The move follows weeks of diplomatic pressure, with European leaders pushing for an unconditional 30-day truce starting on Monday, a demand that Moscow has effectively rejected, insisting instead on direct negotiations without preconditions.
Also read: Putin proposes 'direct' peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul
Trump, in a social media post on Sunday, echoed Putin’s call, urging Ukraine to accept the proposed talks “IMMEDIATELY.” “At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the US, will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!” Trump wrote. He added, “HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!”
While Zelenskyy’s message suggested readiness for the talks, it remained unclear if his participation in Turkiye was contingent on the ceasefire taking effect as demanded.
Macron, Starmer press for truce
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met with Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday, reiterating their call for an unconditional ceasefire starting Monday. The leaders warned of tougher sanctions on Russia if it fails to accept the truce proposal.
“There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day. We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire — full, lasting, and reliable — starting tomorrow, May 12th, and Ukraine is ready to meet,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.
Macron, speaking at the Polish-Ukrainian border on Sunday, welcomed Putin’s offer of direct talks as “a first step, but not enough,” reflecting continued Western scepticism towards Moscow’s intentions.
“An unconditional ceasefire is not preceded by negotiations,” Macron told reporters, adding that Putin appears to be “looking for a way out, but he still wants to buy time.”
Russia pushes for direct talks
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in comments aired by Russian state television on Sunday, called Putin’s proposal for direct negotiations “very serious” and aimed at eliminating the “root causes of the conflict.” He said it demonstrated Moscow’s “real intention to find a peaceful solution.”
Putin’s proposal came after leaders from four major European countries threatened to increase pressure on Moscow if it failed to accept the 30-day truce demand. The plan has also received backing from Trump, who described it as a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine” in a social media post.
“Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending bloodbath hopefully comes to an end,” Trump wrote, adding, “The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!”
Turkiye, for its part, has confirmed its readiness to host the talks. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Putin on Sunday, expressing his support for the Russian proposal and offering to provide “all possible assistance in organising and holding the negotiations aimed at achieving sustainable peace.”
Fresh drone strikes
Despite the diplomatic manoeuvring, hostilities on the ground continued. Russia resumed mass drone attacks in Ukraine early on Sunday, after its self-declared three-day pause expired.
Ukraine’s air force said 108 attack drones and simulator drones were launched from six different directions, of which 60 were shot down, while another 41 failed to reach their targets due to Ukrainian countermeasures.
The Russian Defence Ministry accused Ukraine of violating its unilateral ceasefire more than 14,000 times, a claim Kyiv has dismissed as a farce.
As the situation remains fluid, all eyes will be on Turkiye this Thursday, where the world may witness a critical turning point in the conflict if the two leaders finally meet.
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