Zelenskyy Challenges Putin to Meet in Turkey for Ceasefire Talks
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a daring problem to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, Could 11, 2025, proposing a face-to-face assembly in Turkey on Thursday to debate a ceasefire within the ongoing Russia-Ukraine struggle. The dramatic transfer got here amid a flurry of diplomatic exchanges and U.S.-led efforts to dealer peace, with Zelenskyy insisting on an unconditional 30-day ceasefire beginning Monday as a prerequisite for negotiations.
Zelenskyy’s name adopted a weekend of intense diplomatic exercise in Kyiv, the place leaders from France, Germany, the UK, and Poland met with him on Saturday to demand Russia settle for the 30-day truce or face new sanctions. The ceasefire proposal, initially floated by the U.S. in March, gained renewed momentum, however Russia rejected it. As a substitute, Putin proposed direct talks in Istanbul on Thursday, Could 15, with out preconditions, a transfer seen by analysts as an try to shift focus from the ceasefire demand.
“I will likely be ready for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians won’t search for excuses,” Zelenskyy wrote on X, emphasizing his readiness to barter however reiterating the necessity for a ceasefire first. He known as Russia’s openness to talks a “optimistic signal” however pressured that “the very first step in actually ending any struggle is a ceasefire.”
U.S. President Donald Trump performed a pivotal position, urging Ukraine to simply accept Putin’s provide for talks “IMMEDIATELY” in a Fact Social put up on Sunday. “At the least they’ll have the ability to decide whether or not or not a deal is feasible,” Trump wrote, including, “HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!” His intervention marked a shift from his earlier assist for the ceasefire, inserting strain on Zelenskyy to interact immediately with Russia.
Putin, in a late-night assertion on Sunday, dismissed the ceasefire as an “ultimatum” and insisted that talks tackle the “root causes” of the battle, a reference to Russia’s calls for for Ukrainian neutrality and recognition of its management over occupied territories. He didn’t affirm whether or not he would attend the proposed talks in particular person, resulting in hypothesis that he would possibly ship aides as a substitute.
Turkey has emerged as a impartial venue, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressing readiness to host the negotiations. In calls with Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron, Erdogan described the second as a “historic turning level” for peace efforts.
The leaders’ solely prior assembly was in 2019, and Zelenskyy’s makes an attempt to barter immediately with Putin early within the struggle have been rebuffed. In 2022, following Russia’s unlawful annexation of 4 Ukrainian areas, Zelenskyy declared negotiations with Putin “unattainable.” His newest problem seems to be a strategic transfer to grab the diplomatic initiative whereas sustaining strain for a ceasefire.
As Monday’s ceasefire deadline looms, each side proceed to accuse one another of violating prior truces. Russia resumed drone assaults on Ukraine Sunday, with Ukraine’s Air Drive reporting 60 of 108 drones shot down. The Kremlin claimed Ukraine violated a unilateral Russian ceasefire 14,000 instances, a cost Kyiv dismissed.
European leaders, together with Macron, stay skeptical of Russia’s intentions. “An unconditional ceasefire shouldn’t be preceded by negotiations,” Macron stated, suggesting Putin is looking for to purchase time. With U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to attend a NATO assembly in Turkey throughout the proposed talks, the worldwide group watches carefully to see if diplomacy can halt the bloodshed.
