On the morning of May 11, President Vladimir Putin informed that Russia had pledged to restart direct talks with Ukraine on the end of the conflict in Ukraine and proposed that direct discussions would begin from May 15 in Turkey.
The Russian leader said he had scheduled talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Putin late on May 11 in the hope of holding talks next week in Istanbul.
Mr. Putin emphasized that there will be no preconditions on the Russian side in direct dialogue with Ukraine.
President Putin noted that Ukraine had canceled previous direct talks with Russia and violated ceasefire agreements.
He expressed his desire for serious negotiations to bring long-term results, including long-term peace.
President Putin's speech was made on the final day of a three-day ceasefire declared by Russia.
The announcement came almost immediately after leaders from the UK, France, Poland and Germany warned of further sanctions against Russia if Moscow does not accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting on May 12.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have called for an unconditional ceasefire at a joint press conference.
These leaders also joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in commemorating the Ukrainian soldiers who sacrificed their lives at the independence Square in Kiev, Ukraine on May 10.
Leaders said that the proposal to start a ceasefire on May 12 was supported by US President Donald Trump in a phone call on the morning of May 11.
