Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday cautiously welcomed Russia’s offer for direct peace talks. Writing on X, Zelenskyy described Russian President Vladimir Putin’s counterproposal to start talks without a ceasefire as a “positive sign”, adding that “the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time”. However, he reiterated that “the very first step in truly ending any war is a ceasefire.”
Zelenskyy proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire beginning Monday, May 12, insisting that “there is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day”.
Putin, however, rejected the precondition for a ceasefire, proposing instead to begin direct talks in Istanbul on Thursday. He stated that a ceasefire could be agreed upon during the negotiations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, speaking on Russian state TV, called Putin’s proposal “very serious” and said it demonstrated a “real intention to find a peaceful solution”.
“The goals of the talks are clear – to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and ensure the interests of the Russian Federation,” Peskov said.
Meanwhile, Russia resumed drone attacks across Ukraine early Sunday after a self-declared three-day pause. Ukraine’s Air Force reported that 108 drones were launched from six directions. Of these, 60 were shot down and 41 simulator drones failed to reach their targets due to Ukrainian defenses.
Putin’s proposal comes amid pressure from European leaders, who warned of increased diplomatic and economic actions against Moscow if it refuses to accept a 30-day ceasefire aimed at de-escalating the conflict.