Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for direct peace talks with Ukraine to take place on May 15 in Istanbul, signaling a possible step toward ending the long-running conflict. This unexpected announcement came just hours after European leaders gathered in Kyiv, urging Moscow to commit to a 30-day ceasefire.
In a rare late-night address from the Kremlin, Putin said Russia is ready for “serious negotiations” aimed at achieving “a strong, lasting peace.” While he didn’t directly respond to the European call for a ceasefire, he suggested a new truce with Ukraine might be possible.
Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland—collectively referred to as the “coalition of the willing”—visited Kyiv on Saturday in a strong show of support for Ukraine. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stood alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk to deliver a unified message: the fighting must stop.
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They warned that if Russia doesn’t agree to a full ceasefire across land, air, and sea by Monday, it will face even tougher sanctions, particularly targeting its energy and financial sectors.
Sir Keir later told the BBC that U.S. President Donald Trump had been consulted and fully supported the ceasefire push, calling it “a demand that must be met.”
While Putin expressed openness to talks, his spokesperson Dmitry Peskov struck a more defiant tone, saying Russia would consider the proposal but warned that “pressure won’t work on us.” Peskov also dismissed the European statements as “confrontational.”
Ukraine has yet to officially respond to Putin’s invitation.
Putin has accused Ukraine of ignoring previous Russian proposals for temporary ceasefires, including one linked to Easter and another during World War II commemorations in April. Ukraine dismissed those offers as mere political theatre and has instead continued to call for a longer, 30-day truce.
Despite some decline in fighting during the short ceasefire, both sides accused each other of violations. Ukraine claimed more than 700 Russian breaches, while Russia said it recorded nearly 500 from Ukrainian forces.
Still, Putin insisted that Moscow was willing to return to the negotiating table—this time with no strings attached.
“This could be the beginning of real peace,” he said. “Not just a pause before more violence.”
Meanwhile, Trump reacted positively to the announcement, calling it a “potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine” and vowed to keep working with both sides toward a peaceful resolution.
The last time Russian and Ukrainian officials held direct peace talks was in 2022, shortly after the war began.