Russia’s Putin proposes direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Might 15

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Might 15, “without preconditions,” a suggestion that got here in response to Ukraine and its allies urging Moscow to decide to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face further sanctions.

Putin referenced the unsuccessful 2022 peace talks that came about in Istanbul in March, shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion, and proposed “restarting” them with out preconditions in remarks to reporters within the early hours of Sunday.

“We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine,” Putin mentioned, including that he would not rule out agreeing to a ceasefire later, in the middle of direct talks with Ukraine.

Putin’s proposal got here after leaders from 4 main European international locations threatened to ratchet up stress on Moscow if it doesn’t settle for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that they provided on Saturday in a powerful present of unity with Kyiv.

The leaders of France, the UK, Germany and Poland mentioned their proposal for a ceasefire to begin on Monday was supported by U.S. President Donald Trump, whom they’d briefed over the cellphone earlier within the day.

Trump has referred to as for Ukraine and Russia to satisfy for “very high level talks,” saying they’re “very close to a deal” on ending the bloody three-year battle.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has beforehand mentioned he was prepared for peace talks, however solely after a ceasefire is in place.

Moscow’s proposals

Putin mentioned that Russia proposed a number of ceasefires in current months — a halt on strikes on vitality infrastructure, which Ukraine had agreed to, a unilateral 30-hour Easter truce and one other unilateral ceasefire on Might 8-10 that has since expired.

Ukrainian officers mentioned Russia repeatedly violated all of these.

Putin on Sunday accused Ukraine of sabotaging “these initiatives time and time again” and launching a number of assaults on Russia.

In March, america proposed a direct, restricted 30-day truce, which Ukraine accepted, however the Kremlin has held out for phrases extra to its liking.

Putin on Sunday as soon as once more mentioned the Kremlin wants a truce that might result in a “lasting peace” as a substitute of 1 that might permit Ukraine to rearm and mobilize extra males into its armed forces.

He mentioned he would converse to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and ask him to facilitate the peace talks on Might 15.

Shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Turkey hosted unsuccessful talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators geared toward ending the hostilities. The proposed deal reportedly included provisions for Ukraine’s impartial standing and put limits on its armed forces, whereas delaying talks on the standing of Russian-occupied areas.

Moscow has blamed Kyiv and the West for the talks collapsing.

Putin mentioned that “those who truly want peace cannot but support” his proposal to restart the peace talks.

‘An important sign’

Zelenskyy, chatting with reporters alongside the European leaders in Kyiv on Saturday, referred to as their assembly “a very important signal.”

In a joint assertion, as printed on Zelenskyy’s official web site, the 5 leaders referred to as for a ceasefire “lasting at least 30 days” from Monday, to make room for a diplomatic push to finish the battle.

“An unconditional ceasefire by definition cannot be subject to any conditions. If Russia calls for such conditions, this can only be considered as an effort to prolong the war and undermine diplomacy,” the assertion learn.

French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned that the U.S. would take the lead in monitoring the proposed ceasefire, with assist from European international locations, and threatened “massive sanctions … prepared and coordinated, between Europeans and Americans,” ought to Russia violate the truce.

Macron traveled to Kyiv with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

“This is Europe stepping up, showing our solidarity with Ukraine,” Starmer mentioned.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s particular envoy to Ukraine, mentioned Saturday {that a} “comprehensive” 30-day ceasefire, overlaying assaults from the air, land, sea and on infrastructure, “will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II.”

In the meantime, Putin on Saturday held a sequence of bilateral talks with overseas officers who had attended Moscow’s personal celebrations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany, in an obvious try and underscore the West’s failure to isolate it on the worldwide stage. Putin’s interlocutors included To Lam, Basic Secretary of the Communist Social gathering of Vietnam, and the leaders of Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and the Palestinian Authority.

Europe threatens extra sanctions if Russia ignores ceasefire provide

Progress on ending the three-year battle has appeared elusive within the months since Trump returned to the White Home, and his earlier claims of imminent breakthroughs have failed to return to fruition. Trump has beforehand pushed Ukraine to cede territory to Russia to finish the battle, threatening to stroll away if a deal turns into too troublesome.

Because the begin of U.S.-mediated talks, Russia has saved up assaults alongside the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) entrance line, together with lethal strikes on residential areas with no apparent army targets.

The ceasefire would come with a halt to combating on land, sea and within the air. The European leaders threatened to ratchet up sanctions, together with on Russia’s vitality and banking sectors, if Putin didn’t comply.

The precedence was to make it too pricey for Russia to maintain combating in Ukraine, mentioned Ukrainian International Minister Andrii Sybiha.

When requested how the monitoring mechanism would work, Sybiha instructed The Related Press the small print had been nonetheless being mentioned.

Addressing skepticism over whether or not recent sanctions towards Moscow, which has to date managed to maintain combating within the battle, Merz mentioned “almost all member states of the European Union and a large coalition of the willing around the world are determined to enforce these sanctions even if our initiative of the weekend should fail.”

The leaders additionally mentioned safety ensures for Ukraine.

Increase Kyiv’s army capabilities will probably be a key deterrent towards Russia and require supplying Ukraine with strong portions of arms to discourage future assaults and investing in its protection sector. A pressure comprised of overseas troops may be deployed as an added “reassurance” measure, Macron mentioned.

He mentioned particulars about potential European deployments to Ukraine had been nonetheless being fine-tuned. No point out was product of NATO membership, nonetheless Kyiv’s best choice for a safety assure.

Earlier on Saturday, the European leaders joined a ceremony at Kyiv’s Independence Sq. marking the eightieth anniversary of the tip of World Warfare II. They lit candles alongside Zelenskyy at a makeshift flag memorial for fallen Ukrainian troopers and civilians slain since Russia’s invasion.

Russian assaults proceed

Russian shelling in Ukraine’s northern Sumy area over the previous day killed three residents and wounded 4 extra, native officers mentioned. One other civilian died Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern metropolis of Kherson, based on regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin.

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on Friday warned of a “potentially significant” Russian air assault within the coming days, with out giving particulars.

Russia in November gave the U.S. transient advance warning earlier than hanging Ukraine for the primary time with its Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, an experimental hypersonic weapon that Putin claimed might journey at 10 occasions the pace of sound.

Ukrainian Telegram channels linked the embassy’s warning to experiences of an imminent flight ban by Moscow over the Kapustin Yar army coaching and rocket launch advanced. An identical flight ban preceded November’s strike. There was no speedy remark from Russian officers.

Trump mentioned final week that he doubts Putin desires to finish his battle in Ukraine, expressing new skepticism {that a} peace deal might be reached quickly, and hinted at additional sanctions towards Russia.

Ukraine’s European allies view its destiny as basic to the continent’s safety, and stress is now mounting to search out methods to assist Kyiv militarily, no matter whether or not Trump pulls out.