US President Donald Trump has urged Ukraine to “immediately” agree to the proposal of direct unconditional talks put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier on Sunday.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump suggested the proposed direct negotiations would, at least, help to clarify the positions of the sides of the conflict and show “whether or not a deal is possible.”
“President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,” the US leader wrote.
If it becomes clear that reaching a deal is not possible “European leaders, and the US, will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly,” Trump stated.
“I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin,” he added.
Earlier in the day, the Russian president proposed that “the Kiev authorities resume the negotiations they interrupted in 2022” without any preconditions on May 15 in Istanbul. The peace settlement process must start with talks, which could ultimately yield “some kind of new truce and a new ceasefire,” Putin added.
“We are set on serious negotiations with Ukraine. Their aim is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and to achieve a long-term lasting peace for a historical perspective,” the president stressed.
Zelensky sets conditions for direct talks with Putin in Türkiye
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has stated he is ready to “personally” meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Türkiye on Thursday but only if Moscow first agrees to a truce. His statement came in response to Russia’s proposal to begin peace talks without pre-conditions.
“I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally,” Zelensky wrote in a post on X on Sunday. He still maintained that Kiev awaits “a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy.” The Ukrainian leader also stated that he expected Moscow not to look for “excuses” this time.
On Saturday, the Russian president offered Kiev the opportunity to restart direct negotiations in Istanbul, which it unilaterally walked away from in 2022. Moscow was ready to return to the negotiating table without any preconditions, the Russian leader said at the time.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it was ready for peace talks at any time. It also maintained that it was seeking a lasting solution to the conflict rather than a temporary one. It opposed Kiev’s 30-day truce demand on the grounds that Ukraine would use it to rearm and regroup its military.
Zelensky issued a similar demand on Saturday following a meeting with a group of European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. They also supported Kiev’s demand that Russia agree to a truce.
On Sunday, the American president said that Kiev should agree to Moscow’s peace talks proposal “immediately.” According to him, Moscow did not want a mere ceasefire but wanted “to negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath.”
Zelensky wants ceasefire to rearm military – senior Russian diplomat
Kiev’s response to Russia’s offer of unconditional peace talks shows that Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky wants to use it to rearm and regroup the country’s military, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s ambassador-at-large, has said.
On Saturday night, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered Kiev the opportunity to restart direct negotiations in Istanbul, which it unilaterally walked away from in 2022. Russia is ready to return to the negotiating table without any preconditions, he said.
Zelensky responded by demanding that Russia first agree to a 30-day ceasefire starting on May 12.
“Is this what agreeing to start negotiations without conditions looks like?!” Miroshnik, who is tasked with investigating the Ukrainian military’s alleged war crimes, wrote in a post on Telegram on Sunday. Zelensky is essentially “setting preconditions” for unconditional peace talks, he added.
Earlier on Sunday, Zelensky wrote on Telegram: “We expect Russia to confirm a ceasefire – full, lasting, and reliable – starting tomorrow, May 12, and Ukraine is ready to meet.”
After meeting with European leaders in Kiev on Saturday, Zelensky demanded that Russia agree to a 30-day ceasefire. The Kremlin rejected what it described as external pressure surrounding the proposed truce. Moscow has also warned that a temporary pause in the fighting could be used by Kiev to regroup and strengthen its military.
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