Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Sunday that he is ready to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey on May 15 for direct peace talks—an unexpected development following mounting international calls for a ceasefire.
Zelenskiy’s decision came after U.S. President Donald Trump urged him to accept Putin’s proposal for negotiations without waiting for a truce. “I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally,” Zelenskiy wrote on X, while his chief of staff questioned whether Putin would show up.
Putin proposed the meeting in a televised address, rejecting Western calls for a 30-day ceasefire. The Kremlin insisted that any peace talks must consider a shelved 2022 draft agreement and current battlefield realities—implying Ukraine must recognize Russian control of occupied territories and accept neutrality.
Despite the absence of a formal Russian commitment, Ukraine’s ceasefire plan is still set to begin Monday. “We await a full and lasting ceasefire… to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy,” Zelenskiy said.
The diplomatic push follows a rare joint visit by European leaders to Kyiv, who backed Ukraine’s ceasefire demand and warned Russia of fresh sanctions. Trump, however, emphasized urgency in exploring talks first, calling Putin’s invitation “a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine.”
Zelenskiy and Putin have not met since 2019, and mutual distrust remains deep. U.S. officials and European powers remain cautious, with the U.S. embassy in Kyiv warning of a possible major Russian airstrike in the coming days.
