In a dramatic shift in tone, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed readiness to resume peace talks with Russia on May 15 in Istanbul, but only if Moscow agrees to a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday, May 12.
Zelensky called Russia’s overture for direct talks a “positive sign”, though stressed that without a “full, lasting and reliable” ceasefire, negotiations would be meaningless.
“There is no point in continuing the killing even for a single day,” Zelensky said, signaling rare openness since the war began in 2022.
Turkey’s President Erdogan confirmed his readiness to host the negotiations, describing this moment as a “window of opportunity for peace.” Yet, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a late-night press briefing, ignored the ceasefire demand, instead reiterating calls to resume the 2022 Istanbul talks — but this time “without preconditions.”
The West, including France, Germany, the UK, and US President Donald Trump, is pressing Moscow for a no-strings-attached ceasefire. Kyiv's top aide Andriy Yermak reinforced the demand:
“First, a 30-day ceasefire — then everything else.”
Putin, however, deflected, accusing the West of sabotaging peace through “ultimatums and anti-Russian rhetoric.”
While hopes for diplomacy are cautiously rising, drone attacks continued across Ukraine after Russia’s own 72-hour ceasefire ended Sunday at midnight — a sign that peace may still be elusive.
