Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to resume “direct talks” with Ukraine on 15 May in Istanbul, he said while speaking to journalists.
Putin also noted that Russia had allegedly “repeatedly proposed steps for a ceasefire with the Ukrainian side.”
“Let me remind you once again, it was not us who broke off the negotiations in 2022. It was the Ukrainian side that did that. In this regard, in spite of everything, we propose to the Kiev authorities to resume the negotiations it interrupted at the end of 2022. Resume direct negotiations. I should like to emphasise that this is without any preconditions. We propose that they begin without delay next Thursday, 15 May, in Istanbul. Where they were held before and where they were interrupted,” Putin said.
The Kremlin chief announced that he will have a conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Putin expressed hope that the Turkish leader would provide a platform for talks.
He added that Russia was “serious” about the talks and did not rule out that during the meetings it would be possible to reach agreements on new ceasefires and a new ceasefire.
At the same time, Putin stopped short of talking about a ceasefire as early as Monday, thus rejecting a proposal that was voiced following a meeting of leaders of a “coalition of the willing” in Kiev.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov said the three-day truce proposed by Putin had been finalised. He said Moscow had allegedly failed to record a real ceasefire on the part of Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump later reacted to Putin’s proposal on social media site Truth Social, saying it was a “potentially big day for Russia and Ukraine”.
“Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved when this endless” bloodbath ” hopefully ends. It will be a whole new and much better world. I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that happens. Instead, the US wants to focus on rebuilding and trade. There’s a big week ahead!”,- Trump noted.
The Ukrainian side has not yet commented on Putin’s proposal for talks in Istanbul on 15 May.