Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on May 11 welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal for direct talks, but stressed that a full and temporary ceasefire should be established before any peace talks can take place.
On the X platform, Mr. Zelensky called Mr. Putin's response a "positive signal" and said that "the whole world has been waiting for this for a long time". However, he also affirmed that the first step to truly end any conflict is a ceasefire.
President Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to begin implementing a 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposal starting on May 12. There is no reason to continue killing people for even one day, he said. We are waiting for Russia to confirm a full, long and reliable ceasefire starting tomorrow, and Ukraine is ready to meet.
On the Russian side, in a statement to the media, Mr. Putin rejected the proposal for a ceasefire before negotiations and instead proposed to start direct negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, "without preconditions". He said a ceasefire could be agreed upon during negotiations.
With pressure from four major European countries demanding Russia accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire - announced on May 10 to show solidarity with Kiev, Mr. Putin's proposal is considered the first official response.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Putin's proposal "very serious" and said it "asserted a true intention to seek a peaceful solution". He added: "The goal of the negotiations is clear: to eliminate the root causes of the conflict and ensure the interests of the Russian Federation."
